Moving Towards Sustainability

This article reports on a recent agreement by air navigation service providers (ANSPs) around the world to establish a new sustainability working group as part of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO). The National Air Traffic Services (NATS) organization has helped CANSO to develop environmental policies and principles that will focus on various worldwide programs to promote quieter and cleaner aircraft operations. These activities include continuous descent approaches into airports, opening up dedicated military airspace to civil traffic, and developing flexible airway operations where airlines can exploit jet-streams to lower fuel consumption. The approach to sustainability has been broken down into eight categories: communications, climate change, noise, local air quality, surface access, natural resources, economic, and social. The author concludes that ultimately the success of sustainable aviation will depend on two factors: the number of aviation companies that commit to the strategy; and whether the strategy itself is seen by government and independent groups as a serious attempt to address sustainability issues. The author also outlines the application of these issues to the aviation situation in the United Kingdom.