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» AIRLINES
A JUICY LEMON SOLUTION
Austrian Airlines’ maintenance team has developed an innovative new use for lemon juice in cleaning aircraft toilets. The innovative system is not only kind to the environment but also saves time and money. For this invention, the maintenance division of Austrian Airlines has now been awarded the Environmental Prize of the City of Vienna. ‘Waliclean’ is based on a simple principle: a solution of regular citric acid and warm water is circulated through the aircraft’s waste line system by means of regulated negative pressure. Once the system has been successfully cleaned, it is rinsed with clear water and emptied. The rinse water can be disposed of easily via the sewage system. In the past, three different maintenance methods had to be employed several times a year to keep the waste line system functioning. Austrian Airlines will save around 7,165 litres of chemicals per year. This preserves the environment, protects staff and significantly improves storage, transport and disposal requirements. The weight saving after using Waliclean is about 75kg in the case of a Boeing 777, which amounts to an annual saving of 44 tonnes of jet fuel, or 138 tonnes of CO2 per aircraft. Using the new cleaning method will also generate substantial financial savings, as Austrian will be able to reduce the manhours required by more than 4,000 per year. F.
» MANUFACTURERS
ROLLING DOWN THE TAXIWAY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM ELECTRICITY
Honeywell and Safran have announced they are extending collaboration on the development of the new electric green taxiing system (EGTS) to include Air France. The MoU signed at the 2013 Paris Air Show will enable Air France to analyse the potential technical, operational and financial benefits of the EGTS. In turn, Air France will provide valuable assistance to Safran and Honeywell in quantifying other operational benefits. Air France’s aircraft use a number of congested airports, and the EGTS can provide a decisive economic
» AIRLINES
advantage at these airports, while also reducing emissions and noise at the terminal. From early analysis, Air France expects to save several percent fuel burn per cycle based on its current operations. A single aisle aircraft equipped with the EGTS system also reduces NOx emissions by approximately 50% and carbon emissions by approximately 75% during taxiing manoeuvers. Honeywell and Safran are targeting EGTS entry into service on new aircraft in 2016, shortly followed by a retrofit option on existing aircraft.
The EGTS allows aircraft to taxi without requiring the use of aircraft engines by using the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) generator to power motors in the main wheels. Each of the aircraft’s powered wheels is equipped with an electromechanical actuator, while unique power electronics and system controllers give pilots control of the aircraft’s speed, direction and braking during taxi operations. The system will reduce, if not remove altogether, the need for aircraft ground equipment to manoeuvre aircraft in and out of stands. F.
REDUCING FUEL BURN AND DELAYS
South African Airways (SAA) has received authorisation to fly new safety-enhancing and fuel-saving instrument departure and approach procedures. The approval, the first in Africa, paves the way for further developments that could enhance safety and increase operational efficiency throughout SAA’s route network. The use of the new technology can further decrease travelling time on trips to and from Cape Town, for instance, by 5 — 10 minutes. SAA is now using the new flight procedures in all weather conditions on flights into and out of Cape Town International Airport. The new procedures, known as required navigational performance — authorisation required, utilise advanced on-board navigation technology and space-based GPS signals to achieve the enhancements in safety and efficiency. The new procedures will provide an opportunity for immediate benefit with SAA aircraft potentially saving over 600 tonnes of fuel (1,800 tonnes of CO2) per year. “This milestone signifies South Africa’s readiness for a wider performance based navigation deployment in line with recommendations set out by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). We are thus grateful for the great support from Quovadis, Airbus and Boeing and look forward to future implementations and procedure design,” said Captain Johnny Woods, head of flight operations and chief pilot at SAA. F.