easyJet has completed its fleetwide retrofit, including the implementation of Airbus’s Descent Profile Optimisation (DPO) technology on all aircraft, as well as the Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) on the compatible aircraft in easyJet’s fleet.
The multi-million-pound retrofit programme was announced last year as part of the airline’s roadmap to net zero 2050, with fuel savings expected of up to 1% or 88,600 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
“While this is one initiative of many outlined in our roadmap to net-zero, it provides a permanent CO2 saving and forms another step on the way to us realising our net-zero target,” said Captain David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer, easyJet. “While technologies like DPO and CDA are the best solution for more optimised descent trajectories in the here and now – more needs to be done by governments and policymakers to ensure that our airspace is modernised, including implementing Single European Sky, so that this state-of-the-art technology can be used to its full potential.”
DPO is a fuel-saving initiative that updates the flight management system (FMS) to help provide more efficient descents by extending the aircraft cruise phase and removing the ‘level-off’ stage at the bottom of the descent, thus reducing carbon emissions. The CDA works in tandem with DPO to minimise noise, benefiting customers, airports and surrounding communities while adhering to tighter noise regulations.
“Airbus is happy to accompany easyJet in its decarbonisation journey,” said Nicolas Chretien, Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Environment at Airbus. “Thanks to Airbus technologies, easyJet seamlessly upgraded their fleet with Descent Profile Optimisation, illustrating our ambition to work with our airline partners. These innovative solutions developed at Airbus enable airlines to increase fuel savings and reduce emissions during operations.”
Image: easyJet
