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Nav Canada has released its annual report outlining the progress in the effort to reduce the aviation industry’s impact on the environment. The 2014 edition of Collaborative Initiatives for Emission Reductions (CIFER) profiles numerous initiatives designed to reduce fuel burn and lessen associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
“Working co-operatively with our airline customers and other industry partners, our efforts resulted in a GHG emissions reduction of 1.3 million metric tons and a fuel cost savings of over $500 million in 2013 alone,” said John Crichton, Nav Canada president and CEO.
“The CIFER report summarizes new and emerging air traffic management technologies and procedures along with some efficiency initiatives already established,” said Crichton. “The reduction and projected reductions in GHG emissions from 1997 to 2020 is an estimated 21 million tonnes with the attendant fuel cost savings of $7.4 billion achieved and forecast.”
This year’s report spotlights several initiatives that are making a significant impact and exemplify true innovation and creativity. Among these is the Gander Oceanic Flight Level Initiative (GO-FLI) where controllers are able offer more efficient altitudes to pilots, significantly increasing the number of climbs in Atlantic airspace.
Another innovation implemented in northern airspace optimizes flight routes reducing distance and travel times for North American flights bound for Europe and Asia and vice versa. This can be as much as five minutes or 25 miles saved per flight for a total savings of $6 million in 2013.
The first phase of the Windsor-Toronto-Montreal corridor airspace redesign has been in effect since February 2012 and has reduced cumulative flying time by 10 hours daily and reduced GHG emissions by 15,000 tonnes annually. The next phases, scheduled for Fall 2014 and Spring 2015, will realize an additional 16,000 tonne reduction in annual GHG emissions.
