The presented results of a research study identify the potential to minimise the transport of emissions into the stratosphere and the climatic effects of aircraft emissions through optimised flight profiles with regard to the current atmospheric situation by modest variations of the flight profiles. A modelling software to compute ecological optimised flight profiles was developed taking into account relevant flight operational constraints. Thus, the results can be transferred into today's airline operations, particularly flight dispatch. The pollutants can be calculated and assessed with regard to latitude, longitude, altitude and the actual meteorological conditions (tropopause altitude, temperature, wind vector, humidity). Sample calculations confirm the conclusions of prior research projects that an "economically compatible" environmental optimisation of flight profiles is possible. In all samples with environmental optimisation the formation of consistent contrails could be avoided completely. A reduction of the climate effect of a flight was achieved in the range of 20-30%, the resulting penalty on economic parameters was 2% at the most. (A)
Samenvatting