阿提哈德航空为全球机队的可持续发展不懈努力

阿联酋国家航空公司阿提哈德航空持续改善机队的燃油效率,显著削减二氧化碳排放,提升公司的可持续发展信誉。

阿提哈德航空专门设立的燃油效率团队推动公司各职能部门落实了诸多举措,节约燃油6万余吨。2016年,通过节约2.5%的燃油削减了近19万吨二氧化碳,相当于阿布扎比-伦敦航线减少1,200班航班,或公路上的4万余辆汽车。

影响油耗的因素有许多,如飞机和发动机型号、飞机载重以及飞行时长等。阿提哈德航空正在研究多项油效优化举措,包括飞机本身以及与波音和空客等飞机制造商之间的外部合作等。

阿提哈德航空首席运营官Richard Hill表示:“对任何一家成功和可持续发展的航空公司而言,油耗都是一项首要议程,阿提哈德航空也不例外。2016年我们取得了一些鼓舞人心的成绩,我非常高兴地看到许多飞行员都全身心地投入到此项计划之中,这保证了更多的学习机会,也可为今后几年节约更多燃油寻找新举措。这是我们可持续发展努力的重要组成部分,我们还将想方设法持续提升自己的绩效。”

减小重量对燃油节约至关重要,A380等飞机的起飞重量达575吨,相当于115头非洲大象或218辆丰田兰德酷路泽。阿提哈德航空为降低机载物品的重量想尽了一切办法。“减重”项目取消或替换了机上物品,每年削减油耗1,100吨。

天气也对飞机油效产生着影响。阿提哈德航空正在投资于“波音高空风上传”(Boeing Wind Uplink)等技术,以确保飞行员掌握最新天气信息,在飞行期间做出最佳的燃油性能规划。季节性大雾也对油耗性能产生不利影响,这要求飞往阿布扎比的飞机承载更多等待油量,目前阿提哈德航空正在与阿布扎比马斯达尔理工学院合作来更加准确地预报大雾天气。

在公司内部,通过持续评估等待油量政策已经能够更加准确地计算额外油量要求,同时利用以往数据可确保充分满足此项要求。机场员工也正在努力确保飞机落地后能够使用地面电源而不是辅助电源装置。迄今为止,这些举措以及许多其他计划已经带来了积极成效,工程、机场和旅客体验部门正寻求在其他方面实现更多节约。

2016年,我们不仅取得了显著的环境成效,而且油效同比改善率也超越了行业设立的减排目标——目前国际航空业的油效改善率为1.5%。此外,阿提哈德航空也为碳中和增长指标,以及2050年将排放降至2005年一半水平的超长期目标做出了贡献。

 

ETIHAD AIRWAYS CONTINUES SUSTAINABILITY DRIVE ACROSS ITS GLOBAL AIRLINE FLEET

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has continued to make improvements in the fuel efficiency of its fleet, resulting in substantial reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and reinforcing the sustainability credentials of the airline.

The airline’s dedicated fuel efficiency team drove numerous initiatives across all operational functions of the business, saving over 60,000 tonnes of fuel. This 2.5% improvement during 2016 amounts to nearly 190,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide savings, the equivalent of 1,200 flights between Abu Dhabi and London or the removal of over 40,000 cars from the road.

Fuel consumption is influenced by many factors such as the aircraft and engine type, the weight being carried and the duration of the flight. The airline is working on several key initiatives to optimise efficiency, both with the aircraft itself and through external collaboration with aircraft manufacturers such as Boeing and Airbus.

Richard Hill, Chief Operations Officer for Etihad Airways, said: “Fuel optimisation is a top agenda item for any successful and sustainable airline, with Etihad Airways no exception. There have been some encouraging results during 2016 and I’m delighted to see so many of our pilots fully engaged with the programme, as this has ensured additional learning opportunities and the identification of new measures that can deliver greater fuel savings in the years ahead. It’s a vital part of our sustainability efforts and we will continue to look for ways to improve our performance.”

Reducing weight can be a vital part of fuel savings, with aircraft such as the A380 having a maximum take-off weight of 575 tonnes, equivalent to 115 African elephants or 218 Toyota Land Cruisers.  The airline has made a conscientious effort to reduce the weight of on-board items.  A ‘weight out’ programme, which resulted in the removal or replacement of on board items, led to a fuel burn reduction of 1,100 tonnes of fuel per year.

Weather plays a part in influencing aircraft fuel efficiency. The airline is investing in new technology such as the ‘Boeing Wind Uplink’ scheme to ensure that flight crews have the latest information on weather patterns, allowing them to plan for the optimum fuel performance of their aircraft during flight. Fuel burn performance is negatively impacted by seasonal fog, requiring additional holding fuel to be carried, inbound to Abu Dhabi and the airline is now collaborating with the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi to enable more accurate fog predictions.

Internally, continuous reviews to holding fuel policy have allowed for more accurate calculation of additional fuel requirements, using past data to ensure adequate additional fuel requirements are met.  Airport staff are also supporting efforts to ensure that ground power is used instead of the auxiliary power unit when aircraft are on the ground. These and many other initiatives have led to the positive results delivered so far with different areas of the business such as Engineering, Airports and Guest Experience working to identify new areas where additional savings can be delivered.

The environmental benefits are not only substantial but the efficiency improvement in 2016 compared to 2015 exceeds the emissions reduction goal that the industry has set itself, currently a 1.5% efficiency improvement across international aviation. By going beyond this Etihad Airways is also contributing to carbon neutral growth targets and the ultimate long term goal – for emissions to be fifty percent of 2005 levels by 2050.

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