Can the Aviation Industry Achieve Carbon Neutral Growth?

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Life Members – 4:00PM – Wednesday, 11 February

Can the Aviation Industry Achieve Carbon Neutral Growth? – Gregg G. Fleming, Director, Policy, Planning and Environment, U.S.DOT/Volpe Center

It is important to understand how the anticipated worldwide growth in the aviation system translates into potential increases in aircraft-related fuel burn and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG). The industry has established goals of: (1) achieving carbon-neutral growth relative to 2020; and (2) a 2 percent per annum improvement in fuel efficiency. There are a number of levers available to the industry for achieving these goals They include: (1) the introduction of more environmentally efficient aircraft technology (e.g., Boeing’s 787 and Airbus’ NEO, or new engine options on their A319, A320 and A321 aircraft); and (2) improvements in Communication, Navigation Systems and Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) technologies (e.g., those associated with the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) in the U.S., and the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) programme in Europe. Other considerations include the potential for drop-in alternative aviation fuels and market-based measures (MBM). With regard to MBMs, substantial work is currently underway at the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

As Director of Policy, Planning and Environment at the Volpe Center, Gregg Fleming has over 27 years of experience in all aspects of transportation-related acoustics, air quality, and climate issues. He has guided the technical work of numerous, multi-faceted teams on projects supporting all levels of Government, Industry, and Academia, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the National Park Service, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Academy of Sciences.

Mr. Fleming is responsible for the design, development, and deployment of internationally-recognized environmental analysis tools, including the FAA’s Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT), the FAA’s Integrated Noise Model (INM), FAA’s System for assessing Aviation’s Global Emissions (SAGE), and FHWA’s Traffic Noise Model (TNM). The FAA tools are used for establishing national and international policies pertaining to aviation and the environment, including noise and environmental stringencies and domestic analyses in support of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). FHWA’s TNM is used for designing highway noise barriers and informing the federal distribution of noise mitigation funds related to highway noise barrier construction. He is also responsible for evaluating, establishing, and maintaining standardized procedures for national and international aircraft noise certification. Most recently, he has been working with industry and academia on projects related to alternative fuels and market-based measures, with particular focus on approaches to achieving carbon-neutral growth.

Under Mr. Fleming’s direction the Policy, Planning and Environment Directorate maintains an extensive laboratory of environmental measurement and monitoring instrumentation, including a quick-response capability to support all aspects of transportation-related environmental measurements.

Mr. Fleming currently co-chairs the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) Modeling and Databases Group and represents the Federal Aviation Administration at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. He is Chairman Emeritus of the Transportation Research Board’s Committee for Transportation Related Noise and Vibration and is active in the Society of Automotive Engineers, as well as numerous other technical organizations.

Mr. Fleming has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and has participated substantially in the development of national and international standards on technical issues pertaining to acoustics, air quality, and climate change.  The meeting will be held at the Lincoln Lab Auditorium, 244 Wood Street., Lexington, MA at 4:00 PM. Refreshments will be served at 3:30 PM. Registration is in the main lobby. Foreign national visitors to Lincoln Lab require visit requests. Please pre-register by e-mail to reception@ll.mit.edu and indicate your citizenship. Please use the Wood Street Gate. For directions go to http://www.ll.mit.edu/ For other information, contact Len Long, Chairman, at (781)894-3943, or l.long@ieee.org

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