Better use of jet stream offers savings to airlines
Commercial flights between New York and London could use less fuel if they make better use of the jet stream and satellite technology.
This is the conclusion of scientists at Reading University who found that transatlantic flights last winter could have used up to 16 per cent less fuel with better use of the fast-moving winds.
According to the team, new satellites will soon allow transatlantic flights to be tracked more accurately while remaining a safe distance apart. This could allow aircraft to be more flexible in their flight paths in order to more accurately follow favourable tailwinds and avoid headwinds. By doing so, the aviation sector could be presented with a cheaper and more immediate way of cutting emissions than through advances in technology.
In a statement, Cathie Wells, a PhD researcher in mathematics at the Reading University and lead author of the research, said: “Current transatlantic flight paths mean aircraft are burning more fuel and emitting more carbon dioxide than they need to.
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Comment: Engineers must adapt to AI or fall behind
A fascinating piece and nice to see a broad discussion beyond GenAI and the hype bandwagon. AI (all flavours) like many things invented or used by...