Reducing aircraft impact on the ground

As well as reducing the environmental impact of aircraft in the air, reducing the impact of aircraft on the ground is key.

Many airlines are working hard to reduce the turnaround time of aircraft on the ground, recognising that a reduced turnaround time means less emissions emitted by the aircraft and less of an impact on local air quality.

Airlines like easyJet deliberately favour working at airports like Stansted, which have a short taxi time from runway to aircraft stand as it allows them to reduce the turnaround time between a plane arriving and departing. This reduced journey also means less carbon emissions are released in transit.

At Heathrow, Virgin Airways trialled getting tugs to tow aircraft into position on the runway instead of using the aircraft's own jet engines. Although the trial was ultimately unsuccessful for a variety of reasons it shows the aviation's industry determination to cut carbon emissions in this area.

Cutting aircraft emissions at Stansted
We continue to focus on improving the usage of Fixed Electrical Ground Power (FEGP), which helps to reduce aircraft emissions on the ground. This allows aircraft that are parked 'on stand' to switch off their internal generators which run on jet fuel and instead receive power from a fixed electrical supply on the ground instead. The fixed electrical supply still uses power so while any precise CO2 saving made by this technique has not been calculated there is certainly a clear benefit in terms of local air quality and noise reduction.

To develop the usage of FEGP we have been working closely with airline operators (specifically easyJet and Air Berlin) and aircraft manufacturers to improve the usage of this system.

In June 2007, as part of this work, we become the first airport in the world to be invited by aircraft manufacturer Boeing to examine ways of reducing the environmental impacts of aviation.

Related news
Stansted in groundbreaking trials with Boeing (BAA, 11 June 2007)
Virgin Atlantic move to save fuel (BBC, 3 December 2006)