From an emissions-reducing model jet that looks like something from a sci-fi movie to electric aircraft and sustainable fuel, the aviation industry is ramping up efforts to go green as consumer pressure grows.
"Sustainability" was the buzzword last week in Singapore at Asia's biggest air show -- which was powered by solar panels -- with manufacturers and airlines trying to outdo one another on vows to become more sustainable. Airlines are"working with us to find pathways to increase the availability of sustainable fuels, look at how electrification can impact them... and also looking to more and more efficient engines and airframes".The aviation industry has pledged to reduce its net carbon emissions by 50 percent by 2050 compared with 2005 levels, and the British sector went further this month with a vow to achieve net zero emissions by the same date.
"It is a trade-off between fuel consumption and speed," ATR chief executive Stefano Bortoli told AFP.- Slow-moving solutions - But Aldo Montanari, the company's head of avionics and user interface, cautioned such projects would not be quick.