Evaluation of potential near-term operational changes to mitigate environmental impacts of aviation

• Published in: Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Part G, Journal of aerospace engineering Journal of aerospace engineering, 2013-08, Vol.227 (8), p.1277-1299
• Main Authors: Marais, Karen B, Reynolds, Tom G, Uday, Payuna, Muller, Delri, Lovegren, Jonathan, Dumont, Jean-Marie, Hansman, R John
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aeronautics; Aerospace engineering; Aircraft; Aircraft components; Aviation; Electrode potentials; Enforcement; Environmental impact; Mechanical engineers; Operations management
• ISSN: 0954-4100; 2041-3025
• DOI: 10.1177/0954410012454095

Changing aircraft operational procedures is one way of mitigating the environmental impacts of aviation in relatively short timeframes with existing aircraft types. However, to date these mitigations have not been evaluated or compared in a systematic manner that considers both their environmental impact reduction potential and their ability to be successfully implemented. This article presents a comprehensive identification and systematic evaluation of potential near-term operational changes to determine their relative environmental mitigation benefits. The research also evaluated the potential for successful implementation by identifying possible barriers to implementation for each mitigation. The analysis identifies the most promising mitigations offering a combination of environmental impact reduction and ease of implementation.