Aloft - An Inflight Review
Around 3.3 billion air travels are undertaken currently per year. Air traffic is growing rapidly, especially in Asia, the Middle East and in other emerging economies. Cheaper ticket prices and the growth of a global middle class have led to this: Flying has become a part of modern mass culture. The global interconnection of politics, economy, science and culture is increasing. But the environmental impact of flying can no longer be ignored. This is particularly true with regard to climate change. Considerable efficiency gains in fuel consumption are outweighed by high growth rates in international air traffic. As a result, this leads to an increase in climate-relevant emissions. We need a turnaround for aviation to contribute to climate protection. Air traffic needs to become more environmentally friendly and more sustainable!
With the publication Aloft – An Inflight Review the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Airbus Group want to provide important insights into the current state of technological developments and the political debate surrounding the sustainable future of flying, and it can serve a basis for further dialogue in the coming years. After all, a climate-friendly flying is in the interest of all.
Product details
Table of contents
• ENVIRONMENT
AIR TRAVEL VERSUS …
Experts in Germany and the EU are ascertaining the environmental ranking of dierent transport modes
• FUEL
GOING GREEN AT AIRBUS
Kerosene made from algae oil to make jet fuel sustainable
• INQUIRY
THE GREENS FLY THE MOST BUT WITH A GUILTY CONSCIENCE
• CONSTRUCTION
TECHNOLOGY OF THE FUTURE In the coming decades, new aircraft engines and production methods could make flying more sustainable. “Hybrid flying” using electrical energy has already begun and 3D printing promises higher eciency and a cleaner production process
• HISTORY THE ANCESTORS OF AIRBUS
• PROCEEDINGS THREE PANELS, FIFTY EXPERTS. THEIR TASK: HIGHLIGHTING OPTIONS TO DECARBONISE AIR TRAFFIC
The Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Airbus Group discussed the future of flying. In the end, the participants agreed on a catalogue of commonalities and dierences
• STEPS
BIT BY BIT “Incremental” innovations continuously improve aircraft. The process is of strategic significance, but that alone is not enough
• LEAPS
FASTER AND FASTER Until now Silicon Valley has not been a major player in the process of redesigning civil aircraft. However, this is about to change
• INTERVIEW
HOMEWORK FOR POLITICS AND INDUSTRY
Ralf Fücks, President, Heinrich Böll Foundation, vs. Tom Enders, CEO, Airbus Group.
• DATA
MAJOR TRENDS
• CLIMATE P OLICY
NEGOTIATION MATTERS The EU wanted to exert international pressure to speed up the reduction of carbon emissions in air trac. However, it failed because its climate policy met with existing conflicts of interest
• AIRSPACE
CELESTIAL DETOURS
The “Single European Sky” could replace the cumbersome and expensive European aviation trac system that causes serious environmental harm. But a broad alliance opposes the uniform organization of airspace
• POINTS OF VIEW
CONCEPTS, PLANS, MATTERS OF OPINION
In Germany, eight non-governmental organizations and the German Aviation Association argue over the upcoming Federal air trac conception
• CONTROVERSY
AIRCRAFT NOISE PROS & CONS Mona Neubaur, anti-aircraft noise activist, vs. Charles Champion, Executive Vice President Engineering, Airbus
• EVERYDAY LIFE
“HAVE A PLEASANT FLIGHT!” Hamburg cartoonist, Til Mee, on the shortcomings and absurdities of flying
• SYNOPSIS
HIGHFLYING AND NOSEDIVING
The history of the Greens and Airbus – a short journey through time
• IMPRINT
• SOURCES