What is the outlook for aviations environmental impact in the future, both short term and long term?
The aviation industry plans to make its good record even better.Significant environmental enhancements are coming to aviation on several levels. On the manufacturing front, new aircraft models are set to come online in the next few years that will provide gains in efficiency of up to 20 percent. The models, exemplified by the Boeing 787, use composite materials for most of the aircraft, a considerable leap forward in construction. They will be powered by advanced engines that provide increased efficiency. On the operations side of aviation, there are pockets of advanced air traffic control technology being implemented around the country that once again result in more efficiency. There has even been an emphasis on keeping aircraft clean to maximize aerodynamics. Over the long term, efforts are already underway for even further technological advancement. Engine companies are working on totally new technologies that will take efficiency to a new level in the future. And those companies ha
