American Airlines to test ‘next-generation’ fuel-saving techniques on June 11, 2009

American Airlines, based in Fort Worth, Texas, the United States, will become, on June 11, 2009, the first United States-based airline to test what has been hailed as the “next-generation technology and procedures” to prove that long-haul trans-Atlantic flights could be environment-friendly as well as fuel-efficient.

On June 11, 2009, pilots will fly the Boeing 767-300 plane (Flight 63) from Paris in France to Miami in the United States by employing strategies such as taxiing the plane with one engine.

Apart from this, pilots will descend at a “constant rate” to save fuel instead of “levelling off” at various altitudes, which consumes more fuel.

Flight 63 would take a direct route guided by the global positioning system (GPS) technology.

American Airlines said in a pres release that the testing was being done on a normally scheduled flight.

The planned test flight, using the Boeing 767-300 plane, is a part of the Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE).

The Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions – a joint venture between the United Stats Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Commission (EC) and many airlines worldwide – has been designed to accelerate the implementation of the “next-generation technologies and operational procedures” that would help cut noise pollution and carbon emissions as well as conserve fuel.

American Airlines said it aimed to save 120 million gallons of jet fuel in 2009 and to reduce carbon emissions by 2.5 billion pounds.

The demonstration flight of the Boeing 767-300 aircraft, according to American Airlines, will conduct several fuel conservation measures which include single-engine taxi on departure and arrival, continuous climbout and descent as well as tailored arrival. 

American Airlines, a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation, said the demonstration flight was a part of the company’s “ongoing environmental and fuel-conservation efforts.”

Post-flight data analysis to be conducted by the US Federal Aviation Administration, the European Commission and American Airlines would determine the savings gained in terms of carbon and fuel on the test flight.

Afterwards, the Federal Aviation Administration and American Airlines will conduct a two-month trial in Miami to continue testing the next-generation technology and procedures, the press release from American Airlines said.

Bob Reding, executive vice-president of American Airlines, said in the press release that, in 2008, the airline’s efforts resulted in fuel savings of over 110 million gallons and reduction in carbon-emissions by 2.3 billion pounds.

It may be noted that, notwithstanding a reduction in travel prompted by the global economic recession, the US Federal Aviation Administration is going ahead with further measures to modernise air-traffic control with a view to improving fuel efficiency of airlines and lessening harm to the environment.