JOIN USAirlines under pressure to cut carbon emission
In a recent circular, the copy of which is in possession of Deccan Herald, DGCA has put forth the objective of reducing the carbon emission in the industry and thereby increase/improve fuel efficiency above the current levels over a five-year period from 2010-2015.
The move, sources in the authority say is to help enhance the efficiency by employing simple but effective measures to meet the specific goal - attain higher levels of efficiency.
DGCA has also advised the airline operators to prepare and present a report on their performance in terms of efficiency and carbon emission on a quarterly basis.
The regulator has set a mid-October deadline for airlines to present reports on their fuel consumption patterns, which will then be reviewed. Sources say that the main objective of the circular was to encourage voluntary reduction of carbon emission and improvement of fuel efficiency. “The aim is to improve the revenue tonne kilometre (RTK) above the current level in the next five years,” the circular says.
Fuel efficiency
RTK is the preferred metric by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and India also prefers the same metric to calculate fuel efficiency. Achievements are evaluated against a baseline of actual past emissions or a projection of baseline emission forecast depending on the current growth.
Further, the move is in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which had in its circular (303) on Operational Opportunities to Minimise Fuel Use and Reduce Emissions, focuses on a compilation of operational measures that achieve near-term reductions in aircraft emissions, and in supporting ground operations.
Moreover, to achieve the above objectives, the circular, quoting ICAO circular suggests the following techniques - fly the most fuel efficient aircraft type, fly the most fuel efficient route, fly at the most fuel-efficient speed, operate at the most economical altitude, maximise aircraft’s load factor etc.