How is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) helping?
FAA is pursuing initiatives to improve aviation fuel efficiency or otherwise reduce the environmental impacts of aviation. See the fact sheet entitled “Getting the Green Light for Aviation” for more information. Have airlines’ fuel conservation efforts been successful? Over the past three decades, combined passenger and cargo airline fuel efficiency, as measured in revenue ton miles per gallon, has more than doubled. How have airlines changed their operations to improve fuel efficiency? Airlines have developed many different operational and planning techniques aimed at conserving fuel and optimizing fuel purchases. On the operational front, many airlines: • employ single-engine taxi procedures during normal operations and selective engine shutdown during ground delays • reduce and measure more accurately onboard weight while redistributing belly cargo • tanker extra fuel on certain flights to avoid refueling at more expensive locations • cruise longer at higher altitudes and employ sho
