| Title | Cruise Fuel Reduction Potential from Altitude and Speed Optimization in Global Airline Operations |
|---|---|
| Record ID | 82141 |
| Personal Name Creator |
Jensen, Luke; Tran, Henry; Hansman, R. John |
| Corporate Creator | United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics |
| Corporate Contributor |
United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Environment and Energy |
| Publisher | United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration |
| Publication Date | 20150600 |
| Language | English |
| Abstract | This paper examines the potential fuel efficiency benefits of cruise altitude and speed optimization using historical fight path records. Results are presented for a subset of domestic US flights in 2012 as well as for long haul flights tracked by the European IAGOS atmospheric research program between 2010 and 2013. For a given lateral flight route, there exists an optimal combination of altitude and speed. Analysis of 217,000 flights in domestic US airspace has shown average potential savings of up to 1.96% for altitude optimization or 1.93% for speed optimization. International flights may be subject to different airline and/or air traffic management procedures and constraints. Examination of 3,478 long-haul flights, representing three airlines and a single aircraft type over a four-year period, indicates average potential savings of up to 0.87% for altitude optimization or 1.81% for speed optimization. This is equivalent to a mean fuel savings of 905 pounds and 1981 pounds per flight, respectively. Due to the limited sample set for long haul flight records, conclusions from this stage of the international study are limited to the specific airlines and aircraft types included in the IAGOS measurement program. |
| Rosap ID | dot:57448 |
| Rosap URL | https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/57448 |
| TRT Terms | Aircraft exhaust gases; Aircraft operations; Altitude; Benefits; Cruising flight; Environmental impact analysis; Fuel consumption; Global warming; Greenhouse effect |
| General Subjects | ASCENT |
| Geographical Coverage |
United States |
| TRIS Online Accession No |
1789293 |
| Contract Number | 13-C-AJFE-MIT |
| Report Number | 481-Jensen |
| Resource type | Proceedings |
| URL | https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/82000/82100/82141/15-481-Jensen_pub_Cruise_Fuel.pdf |
| Format | |
| Database | NTL Digital Repository |