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Aviation Headlines and Top Story- Updated March 1, 2010
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* States, Lawmakers Challenge EPA on GHG Endangerment Finding
* San Diego Initiates Comprehensive Air Quality Management Plan
* Bye Energy to Develop Electric and Electric-Hybrid Propulsion System
* British Airways in Venture to Produce Aviation Fuel from Waste Biomass
* Decision Exonerating Denver in Deicing Case Upheld on Appeal
* Seattle Embarks on Part 150 Update
* Restrictions Urged to Reduce Noise at Vancouver International Airport
* ACRP Issues Requests for Proposals on Noise, Alternative Fuels, Ground Service Equipment, and PM Emissions
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ICAO Makes Progress on CO2,
More Stringent NOx Standard
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ICAO’s Committee on Aviation Environ-mental Protection (CAEP) committed to developing a CO2 standard for commercial aircraft, by the target year of 2013. In what would be the first global fuel-efficiency standard for any industry, “the new standard will set clear direction and timeframes for manufacturers to keep producing innovative aircraft design and materials, as well as more fuel efficient engines, to further reduce the impact of aviation on climate change and meet the ambitious goals the sector has set for itself,” according to ICAO.
As for market-based measures to reduce emissions, the committee recommended publishing reports related to voluntary emissions trading systems, linking open emissions trading systems, and offsetting aviation emissions. “These reports will provide guidance to aviation stakeholders when evaluating different schemes for environmental mitigation.”
Meeting in Montréal, CAEP also agreed to recommend a tighter NOx standard for consideration by the ICAO Council. The new standard would reduce NOx 15 percent from the current one for new large aircraft engines and five percent for smaller ones certified after December 31, 2013.
The European Union and Airports Council International (ACI) supported a 15 percent reduction for smaller engines, with ACI calling for implementation by December 31, 2012. “This scenario provides the best result environmentally without imposing potentially substantial costs on manufactures modifying their existing production models,” according to ACI. “It also treats manufacturers of small and large engines equitably and provides better benefits for smaller airports.”
The United States supported the final agreement, while the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations (ICCAIA) and International Air Transport Association (IATA) pushed for a less stringent standard for the very largest engines, according to ACI.
“[ICCAIA and IATA] have noted that it will be very difficult to modify some of the largest in-production engines to achieve this new standard by 2013. All recently certified and soon-to-be certified aircraft engines will comfortably comply with the standard.” Finally, CAEP initiated the process of assessing the need for a more stringent standard for aircraft noise.
Copyright 2010 Great Circle Communications LLC. No unauthorized posting, forwarding, or any other form of transmission of this material, by any means, in whole or in part, is allowed.
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