Multi-sector green flight by CAAS, SIA

Nisha Ramchandani, Business Times 29 Jan 10;

THE Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Singapore Airlines (SIA) will be working together to conduct the world's first multi-sector demonstration green flight, a move to mark CAAS' entry to the Asia and Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions (Aspire) programme as of Feb 1.

Initiated by the US Federal Aviation Administration, Airways New Zealand and Airservices Australia in 2008, Aspire is a partnership of air navigation service providers (ANSP) that aims to promote best practices on key Asia and Pacific routes to reduce aviation emissions globally. The Japan Civil Aviation Bureau joined Aspire last October.

Yap Ong Heng, CAAS' director-general, said: 'This Aspire flight is a collaborative effort requiring a high level of cooperation among three ANSPs in the US, Japan and Singapore, and SIA, to demonstrate that an aircraft flying on its most optimal route can achieve significant reductions in fuel consumption and carbon emissions.'

While SIA already adopts practices such as washing the engine regularly and keeping strict tabs on aircraft weight to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, it will step up its measures throughout the demonstration green flight to increase fuel efficiency. At the same time, it will ensure that the aircraft flies through optimum air traffic conditions.

'For this particular flight, on top of these regular measures, we will employ real-time updates of weather conditions to chart the most efficient routing for the aircraft instead of flying a predetermined route,' said SIA's senior executive vice-president (operations and planning), Bey Soo Khiang.

The exercise aims to save about 10,000 kg in fuel and 31,300 kg in carbon dioxide emissions, translating to fuel savings of more than 5 per cent of total fuel burn. SQ11, a Boeing 747-400 aircraft, will depart Los Angeles International Airport on Jan 31 and reach Tokyo Narita International Airport the next day. It will then leave Tokyo the same day and arrive in Singapore on Feb 2.