1. PILT 1010- Air Transportation Anna Darelli December 6, 2012
Smarter Skies by 2050
PILT Air Transportation
Anna Darelli
December 6, 2012

2. Contents Overview Future Needs Eco-climb Express Skyways
Free-glide approach/landing
Ground Operations
Power
Competition
References

3. Overview 5 Concepts More Flights Fewer Emissions
Quicker passenger journey times
Enhance environmental performance
Accommodating projected passenger growth
Emphasis on safety
Significantly different experience in commercial air transportation

4. Future Needs 63% of people worldwide say they will fly more by 2050
60% do not think social media will replace the need to see people face-to-face
96% believe aircraft will need to be more sustainable or ‘eco-efficient’
Almost 40% feel air travel is increasingly stressful
86% of people think less fuel burn is key and 85% a reduction in carbon emissions
66% want quieter aircraft and 65% planes which are fully recyclable

5. Passenger expectations of air travel in the future
Passenger expectations of air travel in the future. Collected between 2010 and 2012.
Source: Airbus

6. Picture made to show the possibility of assisted takeoffs
Eco-climb
Assisted Takeoff
Would result in: lighter aircrafts, smaller engines, less fuel
Continuous eco-climb would cut noise and CO2 emissions
Track system (electro-magnetic motors built into track or inductive circuit with the aircraft)
Picture made to show the possibility of assisted takeoffs
Source: Airbus

7. Airbus airplanes demonstrate flying in formation
Express Skyways
4D navigation
Formation flight
Fuel burn savings of percent & emissions cut by up to 25 percent
Sensors (i.e. LIDAR & Infrared) to detect wake vortex
Airbus airplanes demonstrate flying in formation
Source: Airbus

8. Free-glide approach/landing
Current
Future
Descend in stages
Circling in holding patterns
Leveling off requires increase in thrust
Extra fuel burn and emissions
Unnecessary delays for passengers
Lower emissions
Reduce noise
No need for engine thrust
Reduce landing speed
Shorter landing distances
Less runway needed
Utilize the same renewably-powered system on landing as takeoff, removing need for landing gear.
Kinetic energy can be captured for future use, i.e. powering on-board systems during taxiing or ground-based propulsion system

9. Ground Operations
According to IATA, up to six million tons of CO2 could be saved yearly by reduced engine taxiing
Technologies that can operate without humans, sensing/navigating around dynamic airport environment
Electromagnetic currents in tracks & wireless high power
Aircraft engines could be switched off sooner
Runways cleared faster
Ground handling emissions could be cut
Optimize terminal space
Remove runway/gate limitations
Ground Operations
Source: Airbus

10. Power Alternative fuels (electricity, hydrogen, solar, and more)
Minimize CO2 emissions
50/50 blend biofuels already certified for commercial flights
Airbus is catalyst for sustainable biofuels through programs to form regional biofuel “value chains” in every continent. Five have already been established.
Fuel cells are one of the most promising “step change” technologies.
As hydrogen is combined with oxygen in “cold” combustion, the only by-product is water. This could be used for the aircraft’s water and waste system, saving water, weight, and, in turn, fuel consumption and emissions.

11. Competiton Boeing Rivalry since 1970s
Both companies use advanced technologies to seek performance advantages in their products
Boeing Company Logo
Source: Boeing

12. References
Airbus. (2012). The future, by Airbus. [ONLINE] Available at: [Last Accessed 25 November 2012].
Airbus. (6 September 2012). Airbus unveils its 2050 vision for ‘Smarter Skies’. [PRESS RELEASE]. Available at: [Last Accessed 25 November 2012].
Time. (24 June 2011). Future of Air Travel: Airbus Predicts ‘Transparent’ Airplanes, 9 Billion Customers, by [ARTICLE]. Available at: [Last Accessed 25 November 2012].
Air Transport World. (29 October 2012). Airbus unveils Smarter Skies 2050 vision. [ARTICLE]. Available at: atwoline.com/eco-aviation/article/airbus-unveils-smarter-skies-2050-vision [Last Accessed 25 November 2012].
Engadget. (7 September 2012). Airbus imagines ‘smarter skies’ by 2050: reduced emissions and shorter flight times. [ONLINE]. Available at: [Last Accessed 25 November 2012].