Air France gets in on AIRE test programme
Air France has operated what it says is the first transatlantic flight to be “optimised from start to finish to reduce noise and emissions levels”.
Like the American Airlines flight described above, the flight was part of the AIRE initiative and flew from Paris to Miami. In this flight, a 747-400ER was used, and procedures tested included shorter taxiing times, continuous climb, optimum altitude and speed during the cruise phase, and procedures to help minimise noise levels by up to 7dB during the departure and arrival phases (a reduction of 3dB is the equivalent of halving noise levels). Air France said that the co-ordinated application of these procedures during the flight cut CO2 emissions by 6-9 metric tons and saved 2-3 metric tons of jet fuel. When these optimisations are applicable to all Air France long-haul flights to and from North America, CO2 emissions will be cut by 135,000 metric tons per year, with fuel savings of 43,000 metric tons, according to the airline.
