The new technology should make the low-cost airline’s approach more efficient. But the full potential is yet to be utilised.
Attentive travelers may soon notice. If you get off the EasyJet plane, the landing starts a little later. And then it’s a bit strict too. “One to two degrees,” specifies David Morgan, pilot and interim chief of operations at the low-cost airline.
Reason: EasyJet is equipping its entire fleet with new Airbus software. This optimizes the landing approach. Descent Profile Optimization or DPO for short and Continuous Descent Approach or CDA for short are the names of the descent profile.
Only the A319 will not receive the update
Their aim is to reduce fuel consumption and CO . have to reduce2– Induce 88,600 tons of emissions. According to EasyJet, this corresponds to orbiting Earth 12,960 times “with the average car”. The new software updates the performance database in the on-board computer (flight management system) in such a way that the margin for descent is reduced.
Result: Landing starts at the optimum point in time and not too early. Also, the goal is to reduce the inefficient stages at the end, in which the engines have to re-generate thrust in denser air. In the middle descent phase, the engines remain idling – except when the descent has to be interrupted by other aircraft.
A319. all except
All A320 Neos that Airbus New delivers already have the software. All other aircraft in the Easyjet fleet will receive them within the next twelve months. Only the Airbus A319 continues to fly without updates as the airline is partnering with the smallest aircraft anyway.
A total of ten airlines around the world have opted for an upgrade like EasyJet. More recently, the Chilean-Brazilian Latum.
even more savings possible
becomes the largest after conversion The airline said that DPOs and CDAs operate a fleet of capable aircraft in the world. The change does not require special training for the crew; The update takes about three hours per plane.
Theoretically, the savings potential is much higher with DPO and CDA software. CO. up to 140,000 tonnes of2 per plane per year, according to Airbus. The fact that EasyJet doesn’t quite reach this mark is due to the fact that not every airport can be approached only from an efficiency standpoint.
Airport and airspace also impact
There will be other restrictions, especially at busy airports due to high traffic and limited slots, Morgan said. For example, a lot of air traffic means that cockpit crews will have to increase thrust again during the descent phase. «But fortunately we do not fly to such airports.»
as well as national borders Changing air traffic controls can lead to deviation from the optimal profile to lead. According to EasyJet, modernizing European airspace is another way to reduce kerosene consumption and thus emissions. This is a statement that almost all European airlines agree on.
more efficient routes would help
According to representatives of the so-called Single European Sky, a uniform European airspace could save around 10 percent in emissions through more efficient routes.