Climate change is a global issue. Each and ever one of us is affected whether we want to or not.  Being in the aviation business, and being environmentally conscience may seem like an oxymoron, but keep reading, and you might be pleasantly surprised.

IATA’s Director General Giovanni Bisignani is quoted as saying “Environment is at the top of aviation’s agenda, alongside safety and security. Environmental responsibility is a core promise we make to the 2.2 billion people who fly each year.”  He explains how “we have a great track record of turning dreams into reality. In 50 years, we moved from the Wright brother’s Kitty Hawk to the jet age.” In IATA’s document “Building a greener future” the goal for aviation is to be a zero carbon emissions industry. Of course, IATA is aiming to inspire the industry to do what it has always done, make things that seem impossible possible. To quote Dr. Wayne Dyer, who is an internationally renowned author and speaker in the field of self-development, “I always think of the Wright brothers heading out toward Kitty Hawk, N.C., about 100 years ago. I don't think Orville and Wilbur said to each other, ‘This thing is heavier than air, so how will it get off the ground? That's an absolute impossibility.’ The law of flying was not discovered by the contemplation of things staying on the ground.” And, if you listen to Bisignani, he is asking the industry to step up and do what it has always done, contemplate what is seemingly impossible to most people. The impossible is just that, if the people that make up this industry don’t step up to the plate.

Fortunately, they have been listening, and working on solutions, albeit being just the beginning of this contemplation. Some airlines, have taken action, by upgrading their fleets to newer, lighter, more fuel efficient aircraft like the  Boeing 787 and Airbus A380. We have all read about Virgin Atlantic’s efforts, as they are the airline featured in most news reports. Virgin Atlantic, as much as it may seem like a PR stunt, has been taking steps to try and find solutions. Some more viable than others. One such attempt was a pilot project to tow Boeing 747 jets to special “starting grids” at the end of runways. They have since halted the program, since the aircraft manufacturer found that pulling the aircraft would seriously weaken the landing gear. But, even if this attempt was not successful, what it shows is that aviation companies are willing to go through the trials and errors that are necessary to allow for growth of new ideas.  Virgin Atlantic, has been accused of green-washing by Times online. As noted on the Virgin Atlantic website via their environmental manifesto “When you love something, you want it to go on forever. We love flying and you love traveling, but right now the over-riding priority for all of us is the future of our fragile planet. So, at Virgin Atlantic, we’re taking practical steps to make our business as sustainable as possible.” The point that stuck out for me on the manifesto is item # 12 “To take every bright idea seriously - however fanciful, however radical as we strive for the tiniest negative impact and the greatest positive impact on our world.”

I think this is a very important to remember, since every little step brings us that much closer to a solution. They are not alone in their efforts. Airlines around the world have stepped up to the plate, working on finding viable solutions to lessen and/or eliminate the effects of global warming coming from Aviation (which is 2% of all emissions, by the way). So, let us contemplate the solutions that are necessary for all of us. I am one of the hopefuls, watching, contemplating and knowing a solution is on it’s way.

That’s it for now, I’m wheel’s up!

Links to past blogs:
- Welcome blog!
- Very Light Jets Market