Synopsis
The purpose and scope of this book is to set the record straight on commercial aviation s effect on the environment and, in doing so, clear up the host of misconceptions that paint the commercial aviation industry as environment vandals. We have not attempted to take a position on the climate change debate other that to quote from what we believe to be the leading authority the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Nonetheless, we have also highlighted criticism of the IPCC reporting to policymakers. However, we have attempted to explain the climate change phenomenon because it has become clear to us that few in the wider community understand its dynamics. The book starts with a look back at commercial aviation s impressive record and then examines the key technology and operational drivers today, before we cast our view forward to the next 50 years. We also detail aviation s critical role in the world economy and, of course, the issue of climate change itself. The commercial aviation industry has been focused on reducing fuel burn and thus emissions of aircraft since man first flew. It is a very simple economic dynamic. Not only does fuel cost money, every pound of fuel is a pound of payload that the airline cannot carry, which also costs money. To suggest, as some have, that fuel economy is not a major driver of the industry, or that airlines have only become interested in the environment since fuel prices leapt, is farcical. As we will see, airlines have relentlessly pushed manufacturers for more and more capability either in range or payload and a major factor in both is reducing fuel burn. We will show how the industry was focused on environmental issues 40 years before climate change became an issue in the wider media. Print advertising as far back as 1957 touted noise issues, while the first fuel economy advertisement that we could find dates back to November 1975 32 years ago! Fuel economy is absolutely critical in commercial aviation. When in 1958 the Douglas DC-8 showed up a 5% shortfall in specific fuel consumption in test flights, the Douglas Aircraft Company lost orders from operators such as Northwest Airlines, while Pan American World Airways sold off its fleet and ordered more 707s. The greatest name in commercial aviation at the time was in tatters and it was later forced into a merger with McDonnell Aircraft Company in 1967. Boeing s 707 soared. While focusing on the industry s many successes, we also discuss its failures such as the supersonic transport race, which was driven to a large extent by national prestige and a 1960s can do attitude. Throughout the book, we have relied mainly on university studies and government agency reports to ensure an impartial perspective. We have certainly sourced manufacturers and airline data but that has typically been to verify third party work. We do not for one minute suggest that the aviation industry is like a field of sunflowers hardly. It pollutes as does every other human activity but it is an industry leader in cutting environmental impact. Regrettably, the debate surrounding commercial aviation s impact on the environment has in some quarters become hysterical with scant regard for the facts. Where we have challenged and found serious errors in environmental reports, we have sent our findings to the authors of those reports for comment and those comments have been included. We regret in some cases that despite constant pressure, some authors of reports we have challenged have failed to respond. We have tried wherever possible to keep our explanations as easy-to-read as possible and we have used break-outs for more technical issues. But in an industry which is at the cutting edge of technology, that is a challenge in itself. We sinecerly hope you enjoy.
About the Author
Geoffrey Thomas is the Senior Editor of the airline management journal Air Transport World. Geoffrey was previously SE-Asian Contributing Editor for Aviation Week and Space Technology. In all, he has won 16 international and Australasian awards. Geoffrey s achievements include: Royal Aeronautical Society (RAS) Aerospace Journalist of the Year (2002- Systems and Technology) RAS Aerospace Journalist of the Year (2003 Systems and Technology) RAS Aerospace Journalist of the Year (2005 Systems and Technology) Short-listed RAS Aerospace Journalist of the Year (2006 Business), (2007 Breaking News & Safety), (2008 Best Business) Australasian Aviation Journalist (AAJ) of the Year 2001 AAJ of the Year 2002 Runner up AAJ of the Year 2003 Best Feature AAJ of the Year 2002 Best Technical Story AAJ of the Year 2003 Best Technical Story AAJ of the year 2004 Best Breaking News Story AAJ of the Year 2006 Short listed AAJ of the Year 2005, 2006, 2007 Geoffrey is a regular commentator on Australian TV and radio and has been published widely in Australia. Geoffrey has co-written seven books with his partner Christine and has delivered guest lectures at the University of Southern California and Curtin University in Western Australia. Guy Norris is a Senior Editor with Aviation Week and Space Technology and was formerly US west coast editor with Flight International. Guy s achievements include: US Air & Space Writers Association award winner, 1993 Royal Aeronautical Society (RAS) Aerospace Journalist of the Year (1997- Technology) RAS Aerospace Journalist of the Year (2004 - Propulsion) RAS Aerospace Journalist of the Year (2005 - Regional Aircraft) RAS Boeing Decade of Excellence finalist 1999/2003 RAS Aerospace Journalist of the Year (2005 - Regional Aircraft) RAS Airbus Decade of Excellence 2006 RAS Aerospace Journalist of the Year (2007 - Breaking News) Guy has appeared in numerous aviation television documentaries and has authored several aerospace educational projects, including the interactive Aviation Knowledge Adventure CD-ROM and the aerospace section of the Encyclopedia of Science in Action published by McMillan. Guy has authored 16 books, including three with Geoffrey and Christine. Christine Forbes Smith (B.A. (Social Sciences) and B. App. Sci.) has been published in WA Business News and was previously published in The West Australian travel pages focusing on consumer issues as well as destinations. Christine has co-authored with Geoffrey - her partner -seven books on aviation and travel. Christine s specialty is interpreting highly technical copy and putting it into a form that everyone can readily comprehend. Steve Creedy has been a journalist for more than 27 years and began covering aviation in the United States in 1992 as assistant business editor for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He joined Australia s national daily, The Australian, in 1997 and became the newspaper s aviation writer/editor in 1998. He has developed The Australian s Friday aviation pages five in all into the most authoritative in the industry. He has won a number of awards for his work and was the 2004 National Aviation Press Club aviation journalist of the year award winner and has been President of the National Aviation Press Club since 2006. Rachel Pepper is a graphic artist for West Australian Newspapers. Rachel has a passion for aviation originating from the special times spent with her father aircraft spotting in Ireland s Dublin Airport from the age of three. Rachel laments with a smile that instead of playing with dolls she was thumbing through Flight magazines.
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