Science of Aviation Emissions
This is the approximate percentage that commercial aviation contributes to global, human-caused CO2 emissions.
What is 2.5%?
Abbreviated as SAF, this alternative fuel source can reduce lifecycle CO2 emissions by over 80%
What is Sustainable Aviation Fuel?
To shorten overall flight distance, planes fly along these curved, mathematically optimized paths rather than flat, straight lines
What are Great Circle paths?
Originating in Sweden as "flygskam", this environmental movement encourages travelers to choose trains over planes
What is Flight Shame?
Due to high altitude effects these types of non CO2 impacts can either double or triple a flights total warming influence
What are non-CO2 warming effects?
While it offers zero tailpipe CO2 emissions, this type of alternative propulsion system still releases water vapor as a direct byproduct
What is hydrogen power (hydrogen propulsion)?
This European nation instituted a ban on domestic short-haul flights if a viable train alternative exists under 2.5 hours
What is France?
Per passenger, this luxury travel method emits 10 to 14 times more CO2 than a standard commercial flight
What is a private jet?
Flying in this seating class results in 4x less carbon per passenger compared to flying first class
What is economy class?
Battery-powered aircraft utilizing this technology are currently being evaluated primarily for regional flights
What is electric flight?
This United Nations framework requires international airlines to offset any emission growth that exceeds a 2020 baseline
What is CORSIA?
Pilots use this specific term when they deliberately reduce cruising speed to save large amounts of fuel
What is eco-piloting?
2024: Aviation efficiency metrics improved by 3.7% b/c of these being high
What are passenger load factors?
These upward-curving wing features eliminate certain types of drag, saving roughly 5% of fuel burn per flight
What are aerodynamic winglets?
This governing body is phasing out free carbon allowances for airlines, forcing them to invest more heavily in green technology
What is the European Union (EU)?
Airlines save significant amounts of money annually by removing these heavy, printed reading materials from seatback pockets
What are magazines?
Total global aviation emissions reached this specific number of millions of tons as travel neared pre-pandemic levels
What is 942mil?
This radical aircraft design merges the wings and main fuselage into a single cohesive piece to maximize aerodynamic efficiency
What is a Blended Wing Body?
The modernization of this system reduces overall flight time and fuel waste by 10% through optimized routing
What is Air Traffic Control (ATC)?
This record-setting aircraft successfully completed a round-the-world flight powered entirely by sunlight and zero fuel
What is Solar Impulse 2?