Sustainability… Decarbonisation… What do all these big words mean?

Well, right now, planes create about 2.5% of global carbon emissions! So engineers and scientists are on a mission to build smarter, more efficient aircraft that have less impact on our environment.

FUELS OF THE FUTURE

Let’s talk power! For many years, planes have used aviation fuel, which is a carefully refined, light petroleum that can withstand extreme temperatures. More recently, there have been developments with Sustainable Aviation Fuels that aren’t made from fossil fuels, but from things like algae and biomass, and even used cooking oil!

Batteries can also help. It’s likely in the near future, small electric planes will be common for flights up to 500 miles. But you need small, relatively lightweight batteries with a lot of power, ideally sustainably-sourced.

There’s also another fuel in the mix and that’s hydrogen! Instead of belching out CO2, hydrogen-powered planes would only leave behind water vapour. Airbus, one of the world’s biggest aircraft manufacturers, is developing its ZEROe project, looking at building planes using hydrogen fuel cells instead of jet fuel.

MAGIC MATERIALS

As well as fuels, the stuff planes are made from is also changing. Smart new designs means we’re building planes with sustainability in mind. That’s making materials easier to trace, repair and recycle.

Heavy metals are being swapped for lightweight, super-strong new materials… and fancy new plastics called thermoplastics that are strong, light and easy to recycle might be used for the airframes. Even bio-fibres from things like algae are being turned into aircraft parts! Plane manufacturers are working hard to make sure parts of a plane can be built using materials that can be reused instead of wasted. That way, when planes retire, they can be taken apart and turned into something new!

RECYCLING

And the job doesn’t stop once an aircraft touches down for the last time. That’s when we can start reusing and recycling all those materials.

With about 15,000 aircraft retiring over the next two decades, we need to find smart eco-friendly ways to say goodbye to our flying friends. And that’s where special aircraft recycling centres come into play.

Old planes are being carefully decommissioned. First up, any useful parts are removed… things like engines, landing gear and electronics. They’re inspected, fixed and then sold on to fly again!

By reusing parts instead of buying new ones, we’re saving money and the planet!

Once all the parts are out, the aircraft can be taken apart piece by piece, everything from the hydraulic systems to the fuselage – that’s the main body of the aircraft. Most aircraft bodies are made of aluminium, steel and titanium. And guess what? They can all be recycled! In fact, over 90% of an aircraft’s weight can be reused or recycled, and even fittings like seats and windows can be repurposed for cool furniture for our homes and even used to make shoes! That’s all thanks to specialists like dismantlers, recyclers and maintenance crews who work together to make sure nothing goes to waste.

We also need to remember, it’s not just planes – airports can also be more sustainable by using renewable energy for airport operations… whether powering terminals or ground equipment like electric airplane tugs and baggage loaders.

It’s all part of reduce, reuse and recycle… aviation style. And it’s not just for the environment, it saves money too. Next time you see a plane soaring overhead, just think… one day you might be wearing part of it!