Aviation: The ecological challenge
Professionals of the industry, their clients and their users as well as the airlines and many different research organizations are all eager to find solutions in order to reduce the impact that their activities have on the environment. This is fantastic news for green travelers who have no alternative for long distance travel. Air travel requires massive intervention and this Green Aviation Show is the perfect forum for developing creative, eco-friendly ways to reduce and ultimately prevent carbon emissions.
The Green Aviation Show will be taking place in June 2010, from Friday 18th to Sunday 20th. It is organized by the National Air and Space Museum on the grounds of Paris-Le Bourget airport, the exhibit is sponsored by the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) and its director, Patrick Gandil, who anticipates that “this ‘green’ aviation exhibit at the Bourget will become a platform with a flight plan highlighting environmental enhancement with real positive impact”. The development of sustainable mobility is the result of a particular awareness towards the protection of the environment and a change in mentalities and habits. The concept of “green aviation” will trigger the introduction of new and often complex technological concepts and will also be a great source of information.
In order to provide the best informative tools to understand this ever evolving sector, the 2nd edition of the Green Aviation Show at the Bourget has several goals:
- TO EXPLAIN: Booths, educational workshops, conferences.
- TO SHOW: Permanent exhibit, animations.
- TO SUPPORT: R&D and school projects area.
- TO SURPRISE : First ecological airshow.
Here are some of the key points that will be looked at:
REDUCE AIR TRANSPORTATION IMPACT
Technological innovations
- Using new and lighter materials
- New designs and streamlined devices
- Cut into energy consumption for aircraft
- Development of engines with better efficiency
- Use of products with less ecological impact
- Test of alternative fuels
Sustainability of operations
- More efficient on ground and in flight procedures
- Reduction of aircraft’ dry weight
- Optimization of air traffic worldwide
- Recycling of aircraft and use of recycled materials
- New rules and regulations regarding the environment
Better infrastructures
- Settings of ecological standards for airports
- Use of emission free airport vehicles
- Cleaning of aircraft using biodegradable products
- Recovery and processing of the de-icing liquid
- Use of airport ground electricity rather than auxiliary engines
The aeronautical constructors and operators will present their innovations in their booths.
GET READY FOR THE POST OIL ERA
Air sports and leisure combine performance and respect for the environment with radically innovative machines that are presented on the market and shown as “demonstrators”.
General aviation has also committed to an “ecological turn” and fostered the implementation of alternative energies. Industries, associations and individuals are expanding many programs to display in the sky a whole new generation of devices.
Champions of energy and environmental performance, often perfectly silent, are the “new birds” powered through electronics, solar power, 2nd generation biofuels or hydrogen. They have been reconciled with the planet as well as airfield neighborhoods and opponents to recreational aviation.
Balloon, airship, paragliding, microlight, light aircraft, helicopter and drone: all these types of machines now have green models. Spread in a village, booths and aircraft exhibitions provoke visitors’ curiosity. Aviation enthusiasts and environmental citizens have the opportunity to discover the precursors of the present and future aviation with just a walk on the tarmac.
THE FIRST ‘ZERO EMISSION’ AIRSHOW
For the first time in the world, the Green Aviation Show proposes a flight demonstration program which, by focusing on electrical and non-motorised flight, has (almost) no environmental impact.
“Emission Free” flying vehicles
- Solar dirigible balloon with hydrogen
- Electrical “Paramotor”
- Electrical and hydrogen microlight
- Light electrical aircraft, with hydrogen and/or solar system
- Glider
- Hang-glider
- Paraglider
- Electrical scale models
Transitional solutions
- Diesel cycle engine
- Biomass fuel
- Quieter propeller
Animations come to punctuate the program: electrical scale models demonstrations, motogliders fly-in…
ON THE TRACK OF THE FUTURE
Revolutionary designs with pure lines, amazing performances erasing distances, environmental impact close to zero: tomorrows’ aircraft generates much hope.
Exposed to ecological challenges, manufacturers, engineers, researchers and students endeavor to solve the paradoxical equation: how to combine air transportations inevitable growth while decreasing emissions and noise?
Born from 3D modeling, many projects illustrate this futuristic research. But among them, which ones will really leave the science fiction field? And when?
With over 250 million tons of CO2 sent into the atmosphere each year, which doubles every 15 years and there being 26,000 transport aircrafts in 2009, you can only imagine the aviation industries carbon contribution. The Green Aviation Show hopes to create a forum where the industry can create solutions, both technological innovations and operational improvements.
To make aviation become green, means more than ever to reconcile progress and the future!
Source: Green Aviation
