Japan Joins Asia And South Pacific Initiative To Reduce Emissions Program
October 15th, 2009 | File Under : Airline Industry - Airlines Companies - Aviation
Japan aviation industry yesterday joined US FAA, Airservices Australia and Airways New Zealand as a partner in the ASPIRE (Asia and South Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions) program.
ASPIRE flights use a host of optimized operational procedures and ATC routings, including tailored arrivals, to save time and fuel. “This is an important milestone in our collective effort to lessen aviation’s environmental footprint,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, who signed the agreement along with Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau DG Ryuhei Maeda.
Last week, Japan Airlines became the fourth carrier to operate an ASPIRE flight behind Air New Zealand, Qantas and United Airlines. The Oct. 10-11 747-400 flight was operated by Japan Airlines subsidiary JALways on a scheduled trip from Honolulu to Osaka.
Although specific results of the flight have not been disclosed, JAL previously had announced that it aimed to reduce fuel burn by 9,421 lb. and carbon dioxide emissions by 28,969 lb. through a variety of means: A precise estimate of fuel required for the flight, lighter cargo containers, reducing the weight of items loaded onboard including cabin attendants’ carry-on baggage, maximizing the use of ground electricity instead of the APU, engine washing, two-engine taxi, changing the runways for takeoff and landing to shorten taxi distance, faster climb to optimum cruise altitude, utilizing user preferred route, DARPS (Dynamic Airborne Rerouting), delayed flap and gear approach and reduced reverse thrust.
ANZ conducted the first ASPIRE flight on Sept. 12, 2008, from Auckland to San Francisco aboard a 777, saving 7,700 lb. of fuel and 27,700 lb. of CO2. Last week, ANZ GM-Operations and Chief Pilot Dave Morgan told ATWOnline that almost all of the airline’s flights to San Francisco are now conducted as ASPIRE flights. ANZ will commence regular ASPIRE flights to Los Angeles shortly, he said.
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