Aerospace

How Etihad intends to combat contrails while crossing the Atlantic

During an Atlantic trip, Etihad is taking efforts to prevent contrails.

Etihad Airways and SATAVIA collaborate to implement contrail prevention for the first time on an Atlantic crossing

As part of the continuing collaboration with SATAVIA, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways, is implementing contrail prevention on a special NetZero flight during the COP27 event.

Etihad Airways is set to start flying to Guangzhou next month(Opens in a new browser tab)

On Sunday, November 13, the airline will fly a specially designated NetZero* flight, EY130, from Washington Dulles Airport to Abu Dhabi. This flight will demonstrate the viability of net-zero commercial aviation by utilizing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), SATAVIA contrail prevention, and other operational efficiencies.

The flight is the most recent in Etihad’s series of Eco Flights that have been conducted over the previous two years. It comes after the EY20 Sustainable Flight that Etihad conducted from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi last year, which reduced overall climate effect by 72%.

The trip will be the first Etihad transatlantic crossing to actively manage non-CO2 climate effects from contrail generation, confronting a sustainability challenge that accounts for up to 60% of aviation’s climate footprint. This builds on Etihad’s weekly contrail prevention exercises with SATAVIA.

Korean Air partners with Airbus Helicopters on vertical unmanned aerial systems(Opens in a new browser tab)

In addition to enabling contrail prevention in routine aircraft operations, SATAVIA undertakes post-flight climate effect analyses for conversion into future carbon credits, with a first-ever exchange via auction scheduled with Air Carbon Exchange in December 2022.

The flight is being described as NetZero rather than ‘Carbon Neutral’ as it is achieving more than off-setting the CO2 emissions. To categorize this flight as NetZero, Etihad must demonstrate the absolute maximal direct emissions reductions operations possible. This includes (but is not limited to):

Utilizing its Etihad Greenliner fleet – the Boeing 787 – with competitive fuel efficiency per passenger
Maximizing and ensuring cargo and passenger load factors to maintain efficiency
Pre-flight engine wash and aircraft cleaning for aerodynamics and engine efficiency
Use of single-engine taxiing
Intensive flight planning and direct routing, including continuous descent and reduced auxiliary power unit (APU) burn
Contrail avoidance testing with SATAVIA to reduce non-CO2 emissions and climate impact
In flight service to reduce waste production and scope 3 waste to CO2 impacts

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.