Assessing the climate impact of formation flights

Abstract (2020)

Authors

K. Dahlmann Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
Sigrun Matthes Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
Hiroshi Yamashita Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
S. Unterstrasser Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
V. Grewe Aircraft Noise and Climate Effects - Aerospace Engineering , Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
Tobias Marks Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
Research Group
Aircraft Noise and Climate Effects (Aerospace Engineering) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2020 K. Dahlmann, Sigrun Matthes, H. Yamashita, S. Unterstrasser, V. Grewe, Tobias Marks
Formation flight Climate impact Mitigation potential Aircraft wake-surfing for efficiency
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Published Date

2020

Language

English

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Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Department

Control & Operations

Research Group

Aircraft Noise and Climate Effects

Abstract

An operational measure to aim for mitigation of aviation climate impact that is inspired by migrant birds is to fly in aerodynamic formation. This operational measure adapted to human aircraft would eventually save fuel and is, therefore, expected to reduce the climate impact of aviation. As this method changes beside the total emission also the location of emission it is necessary to assess its climate impact with a climate response model to assure a benefit for climate. Therefore, the climate response model AirClim was adopted to account for saturation effects occurring for formation flight. The results for case studies comprising typical air traffic scenario show that on average the fuel consumption can be decreased by 5%, the climate impact, however, can be reduced by up to 24%.