Five Ways Honeywell Makes Your Flight More Sustainable

The aviation industry is all in when it comes to sustainability. Technology is playing a major role as airlines, aircraft manufacturers and their supplier-partners apply proven and new technologies to shrink the industry’s environmental footprint and make carbon-neutral air travel a reality.

Here are five ways Honeywell is making flying more sustainable:

1.       Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). SAF can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 80% compared to fossil fuels and airlines see SAF as the primary pathway to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Honeywell UOP has developed an innovative process to make green aviation fuel from renewable feedstocks and, in December, its potential was demonstrated when a United Airlines’ 737 MAX 8 flew from Chicago to Washington, D.C., marking the first passenger flight fueled by 100% SAF.

2.       SAF-Powered Engines and APUs. Honeywell is a leading developer and producer of propulsion engines for business aircraft and helicopters as well as the auxiliary power units (APUs) that fly on most of the world’s airliners. We’re also at the forefront when it comes to adapting these powerful, efficient engines and APUs to operate on SAF as a drop-in replacement for conventional fuels. For example, Honeywell APUs are certified to run on a 50% SAF blend and we’re working to achieve certification at the 100% SAF level, which will reduce emissions by 60%-80%.

3.       More Efficient Engines and APUs. We’re also improving the efficiency of our engines and APUs, so they use less fuel and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, even when run on fossil fuels. The HGT1700 APU that flies on the Airbus A350 uses 6%-10% less fuel than comparable APUs and we added a high efficiency mode upgrade of the world’s most popular APU – the 131-9 – with fuel-efficiency improvements of around 2%.

4.       Improved Flight Operations. We’ve been helping airlines move people safely and efficiently from Point A to Point B for generations with innovations like autopilots, flight management systems and situational awareness capabilities. We’ve taken things to the next level with Honeywell Forge Flight Efficiency, which helps airlines reduce fuel consumption, fly the quickest, more efficient route to their final destination, and keep track of emissions for environmental reporting in Europe and elsewhere. It uses powerful data analytics tools to help airlines and flight crews make informed decisions when it comes to loading fuel and choosing the most fuel-efficient flight profile and route.

5.       Sustainability Begins at Home. Honeywell has made its reputation by helping customers in many industries – including aerospace – improve safety, efficiency and sustainability. We also are working to make our own operations and facilities carbon-neutral by 2035 – 15 years ahead of the deadline set in the Paris Agreement. Honeywell greenhouse gas emission intensity is down 90% since we introduced our sustainability system in 2004 and about half of our research and development investments for new products are focused on things that will improve environmental, safety and social outcomes for our customers and the planet.