American Airlines and Google’s Breakthrough Finding: Over 50% Reduction in Contrail Creation
American Airlines has announced groundbreaking research findings in collaboration with Google Research and Breakthrough Energy, revealing a significant reduction in contrail creation. Contrails, formed by airplane engine exhaust, have a detrimental impact on the environment by trapping heat in the Earth’s atmosphere and contributing to global warming. The study utilized AI predictions to adjust flight routes, resulting in a remarkable decrease in contrail formation by over 50%.
Contrails are the white streaks seen in the sky as a result of water vapor released by aircraft engines condensing around tiny dust particles. These newly formed ice clouds have been identified as a major contributor to global warming, accounting for more than 35% of aviation’s climate impact according to the 2022 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report.
To better understand and explore strategies for contrail avoidance, American Airlines supported research conducted by Google Research and Breakthrough Energy. The objective was to identify zones in the atmosphere with a lower likelihood of contrail formation and evaluate the feasibility of pilots avoiding high-possibility zones based on specific data.
Jill Blickstein, Vice President of Sustainability at American Airlines, expressed gratitude towards their research partners and the discoveries made. Blickstein emphasized the importance of these findings, stating, While clearly there are more questions to answer about how to operationalize contrail avoidance across our industry, we’re excited to have played a role in establishing this first proof point.
The research involved the collection of extensive data sets from satellite imagery, weather patterns, and flight paths worldwide. Utilizing artificial intelligence, forecast maps were created to predict where contrails were likely to form. American Airlines collaborated further by providing a group of pilots who flew adjusted flight routes specifically designed to generate contrails. Subsequently, Google Research analyzed the resulting flight data and contrail formation using satellite imagery.
The analysis of the flights revealed that routes adjusted based on AI predictions to avoid contrails successfully reduced contrail creation by over 50% compared to routes that were not adjusted. This breakthrough demonstrates the potential for significantly mitigating aviation’s climate impact by avoiding contrails.
Marc Shapiro, Director of Breakthrough Energy Contrails, acknowledged the significance of these findings and the importance of collaboration in solving complex environmental challenges. Shapiro stated, Avoiding contrails might be one of the best ways to limit aviation’s climate impact, and now we have a clear demonstration that it’s possible to do so.
While this research represents a promising first step in contrail avoidance for commercial flights, it is essential to replicate and scale up the study’s success. Further exploration and implementation of these findings are required to effectively reduce aviation’s environmental footprint.
The partnership between American Airlines, Google Research, and Breakthrough Energy showcases the potential for innovation and collaboration in addressing climate change within the aviation industry. By utilizing advanced technologies and scientific research, the industry can make significant strides towards a more sustainable future.
