Travel Health & Environment Watch

An EU climate change package agreement between the European Parliament and Council representatives has ended uncertainty over possible changes to the terms of aviation's inclusion in the emissions trading scheme, just six months after an initial agreement. An initial deal in July set the terms for aviation's inclusion in the scheme from 2012 covering flights within, to and from the EU. But in October the Parliament's environment committee sought to increase the amount of carbon credits airlines were required to pay for at auction from 2013 under a separate revision of the existing emissions trading scheme, dismaying airline bodies. Dec 19, 2008

The European Regions Airline Association (ERA) welcomed today's vote by the European Parliament to omit aviation from the revised Emissions Trading Mother' Directive. It demonstrates a victory of common sense over environmental extremism. Today's vote ensures that the European Parliament's legislation, agreed only a few weeks ago, that brings aviation into the existing Emissions Trading Scheme from 2012 remains unaltered. Dec 18, 2008

Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines is to participate in trials of the country's Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).A trial of the scheme, in which units of carbon gas are traded, will run from 2008 until the end of financial year 2012. JAL has set itself a target of a 16% reduction in CO2 emissions per available seat kilometre (ASK) for its domestic fleet by the end of the trial, compared to 1990 levels. www.jal.com Dec 15, 2008

Japan Airlines, Air New Zealand, Boeing

Japan Airlines and Air New Zealand plan to test second-generation biofuel blends in 747 aircraft. JAL's mix for its Jan. 30 flight will consist primarily of camelina, while ANZ is testing jatropha oil in a flight on Dec. 30. In a 737 test flight from Houston on Jan. 7, Continental Airlines plans to test a biofuel mix derived from algae. Dec 17, 2008

Japan Airlines, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, Honeywell

Japan Airlines (JAL) announced that it will be the first airline to conduct a demonstration flight using a sustainable biofuel refined from the energy crop, camelina. The airline also announced that the demo flight is planned for January 30, 2009 out of Haneda Airport, Tokyo. A blend of 50% biofuel and 50% traditional Jet-A jet (kerosene) fuel will be tested in one of the four Pratt & Whitney JT9D engines of a JAL-owned Boeing 747-300 aircraft. The biofuel component to be used will be a mixture of three second-generation biofuel feedstocks: camelina (84%), jatropha (under 16%), and algae (under 1%). This will make the JAL biofuel demonstration flight the first one to be powered by camelina, and the first using a combination of three sustainable feedstocks. It will also be the first biofuel demo by an Asian carrier, as well as the first one using Pratt & Whitney engines. Dec 16, 2008

Japan Airlines, Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, Honeywell

Japan Airlines said that it will operate a 747-300 test flight from Tokyo Haneda on Jan. 30 in conjunction with Boeing, Pratt & Whitney and Honeywell. It will use biofuel primarily derived from camelina plants. A blend of 50% biofuel and 50% traditional jet fuel will be tested in one of the aircraft's four JT9D engines. The biofuel will be a mixture of three second-generation feedstocks: Camelina (84%), jatropha (under 16%) and algae (under 1%). The flight will be the first using fuel derived from camelina and the first to use a combination of three feedstocks. It also will be the first biofuel test flight on an aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney engines. It will last about 1 hr. Dec 16, 2008

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines plans to begin required navigation performance (RNP) operations on certain routes in the fourth quarter of 2009, ramping up system-wide through 2013, in a move that CEO Gary Kelly believes could save "tens of millions annually". RNP procedures allow an aircraft to fly along a precise, pre-defined 3d path that can be tailored to reduce delays or minimize fuel burn, noise and emissions. In addition to GPS and enhanced flight management systems (FMS), onboard equipment for RNP generally includes displays that allow pilots to monitor navigation performance. Dec 18, 2008

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