Aviation
Green Approach – a greener way to land
Modern aircraft can navigate and fly with great precision. SAS has used this ability to great effect in its “green approach.”
Conventional descents involve aircraft leveling out between changes in altitude. At each leveling, an increase in throttle is required and therefore fuel is burned.
The green approach, however, means that pilots can almost glide on a steady path to the ground with the engine throttle near idle. This reduces fuel consumption and carbon emissions and also lowers noise levels, benefiting people who live near airports.
The green approach is regularly used by SAS when there is a mid to low volume of traffic at airports.
Text: Staffan Erlandsson
Published: August 9, 2016
Did you find this article inspiring?
Give it a thumbs up!
0 likes
Related articles
Other ways to fly greener
There are several other ways that modern planes can be operated in a more environmentally friendly way.
- In the same way as the green approach to landing is used, pilots can also use a continuous climb when taking off so that the aircraft gets to its optimal cruising altitude without having to maintain in periods of level flight that increase fuel consumption.
- Loading the aircraft with an optimum center of gravity also helps reduce fuel consumption and enables a higher cruising speed.
- A “low drag approach” involves configuring the aircraft for landing with the flaps extended, followed by the wheels a short time later. This minimizes the amount of time the plane has to be in the air with a large degree of air resistance.
- Aircraft can also taxi after landing with one engine shut down.
Popular articles
Ask the pilot: Why is airspeed on planes measured in knots?
Even the most experienced travelers have many questions about the inner workings of airplanes. How fast can they go? What do all the noises mean? How do they take off and land? The experts with all the answers are, of course, the pilots. Read more
AD
Related articles
Book trip
Popular articles
Ask the pilot: Why is airspeed on planes measured in knots?
Even the most experienced travelers have many questions about the inner workings of airplanes. How fast can they go? What do all the noises mean? How do they take off and land? The experts with all the answers are, of course, the pilots. Read more
AD
Related articles
AD