Because of the reduction of the oil price, more research into overcoming the noise issue and then entry into service became uneconomical. But now, with the oil price once again a major factor, not to mention the environmental focus of many airlines and two decade’s worth of technology advances, it has been time to dust off the plans and incorporate innovations such as carbon-fibre.

Both the Rolls-Royce and GE tests are suggesting that we could have an engine up to 30% more efficient and as quiet as modern jet aircraft. This is significant progress, but is just one of a huge number of projects underway across the aviation industry to reduce emissions. Currently, we produce around 2% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. Although this is small in proportion to other sectors, it is up to all parts of the economy to reduce our impact. What GE is doing with NASA is just one example of the technology being implemented… we have set up a website http://www.enviro.aero to outline some of the other efforts underway.

Haldane Dodd
Air Transport Action Group, Geneva