SatNav promises greener flying over North Atlantic

摘要

The advent of full satellite-based navigation over the North Atlantic will allow airlines to fly tracks between Europe and North America far more efficiently than those now organized by UK NATS and Nav Canada, resulting in considerable fuel savings and a dramatic reduction in CO_2 emissions, according to a new research paper appearing in the scientific journal Environmental Research Letters. The paper's lead author, Cathie Wells of the UK's University of Reading, explained to AIN that air navigation service providers organize today's routes primarily to ensure safe operation and, to a lesser extent, take advantage of winds. Airlines request their preferred tracks in the hours before a flight and the ANSPs create a daily track system that reflects the airlines' wishes as closely as possible.