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APD AND THE A380.
SIA boss slams
‘green’ air tax
SINGAPORE Airlines has claimed
the government is doing nothing
to encourage greener aircraft
because it taxes them at the
same rate regardless of environ-
mental performance.
The airline was the first to
operate the Airbus A380, which
uses three litres per passenger per 100 kilometres,
compared with five litres for most other Airbus
aircraft. Airbus claims the A380 is 20 years
ahead of other aircraft in terms of fuel efficiency.
SIA’s UK general manager, Joey Seow
(pictured), warned planned increases for Air
Passenger Duty, originally introduced as a green
tax, would mean it made up 24.2% of a SIA fare,
ENGINES.
compared with 15.5% now.
Rolls-Royce revisits the propeller
“SIA has some of the greenest aircraft, flying
routes for which air transport is the only option,
yet our passengers, who might choose us for our
green credentials, still pay the highest taxes.”
ROLLS-ROYCE says it has devel- it would save the same amount Addressing aviation minister Jim Fitzpatrick at
oped a new type of engine that of CO
2
emissions as planting a House of Commons reception, Seow called for
could cut fuel consumption 250,000 trees. the government to scrap the planned increases.
and CO
2
emissions by a third. The engines were first
The company believes the trialled in the 1980s but
FLIGHT PATHS.
“open rotor” engine, a 21st- tests were abandoned, partly
century development of the because of noise levels.
Smooth descent
propeller, could also be quieter than conventional Nuttall said further tests at
engines. It could enter service by 2018. Rolls-Royce over the last four years had demon- cuts fuel and noise
It announced last week it had joined Boeing in strated the capability of the technology.
a project to test an aircraft at a wind tunnel in The design uses two sets of propellers rotating ABOUT 90% of aircraft landing at Birmingham
Switzerland next year. in opposite directions, which do not have a airport now use flight paths that minimise
Rolls-Royce vice-president Robert Nuttall said casing so weigh less and have less drag. Noise carbon emissions and make less noise.
if the open rotor were fitted to just one aircraft has been reduced by making the blades thinner. The airport boosted the number of aircraft
following “continuous descent approaches” –
HEATHROW EXPANSION.
which use less engine thrust than a traditional
must be against limiting emissions, because they “stepped” approach – from 50% to 90% in a
A third runway
ignore the fact it’s a global issue and whether or trial starting last summer. The trial was part
not runway three gets built has no impact on the of a programme that has reduced the airport’s
is ‘irrelevant’
global environment,” he said. overall emissions by 24% since 2000.
“The real issue is whether Heathrow remains Nats, the UK’s air traffic control body, says it
BUILDING a third runway at Heathrow will a hub airport or whether that traffic goes to is committed to reducing carbon emissions from
have no impact on global carbon emissions, Amsterdam or Frankfurt.” flights in UK airspace by 10% by 2020.
according to a European think-tank. Grant said carbon trading schemes were the But Nats director Ian Hall said cutting the
The third runway debate was irrelevant only mechanism that would make people fly less, number of aircraft held in holding patterns would
because aviation would continue to grow regard- by making air travel more expensive. make little difference as they accounted for only
less, said Centre for European Reform director Aviation will join the European carbon trading 2% of emissions from flights under air traffic
Charles Grant. scheme in 2012, but Grant said an effective control’s management. In contrast, aircraft
“I get upset when I hear environmentalists global deal would rely on the US and Asian flying over the UK accounted for 11% of Nats’
saying anybody who supports a third runway countries being in agreement. traffic and 23% of its total CO
2
emissions.
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