Why Do Climate Scientists Want Flights to Last Longer?

It's like air travel, delays, baggage fees, cramped seating, etc. As if it wasn't already an unpleasant enough ordeal; Your upcoming flight may take even longer. But climate experts say this could be an important step in reducing aviation emissions worldwide.

The findings are part of a report titled “Five Years to Chart a New Future for Aviation” published last week by researchers at the University of Cambridge, which outlines four actionable steps that need to be completed by 2030 to reduce emissions and achieve net emissions. These four items include eliminating smog “clouds” created by aircraft, governments and industry collaborating on new policies, producing sustainable fuel and renewable electricity, and launching new technology programs.

The researchers found that if planes flew just 15 percent slower, this would result in a five to seven percent reduction in fuel burn. What this means for passengers is that it adds about 50 minutes to the transatlantic flight from London to New York, which currently takes around seven hours.

However, there are also some disadvantages and making the change will not be easy. The report states that “one disadvantage of reducing speed is the potential negative impact on airline efficiency and passenger acceptance, particularly on long flights.” It goes without saying that planes will need to be redesigned to fly at slower speeds to make the transition possible.

Although this isn't all bad news, the report also advocates other measures to offset increased flight times, such as improving airport organization and reducing waiting times.

“Aviation, like the automotive industry in the late 2000s, is at a pivotal point,” Whittle Laboratory director Rob Miller said in a statement. “At the time, until Tesla revolutionized the future with electric vehicles, discussions centered around biofuels to replace oil and diesel. Our five-year plan is designed to accelerate this decision point in aviation and put it on the path to reaching net zero by 2050.”

Miller said the same Times The reason the measures are not currently implemented is that they require “whole system process change.”

“Airlines can't do these things alone, nor can manufacturers or airports,” he explained. “It's not something anyone wants, it's just that the complexity of the system makes it very difficult to do.”

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