Low-cost airline easyJet has unveiled its vision of a shorthaul aircraft that it hopes will generate 50 percent less CO2 than its current planes and can be delivered by 2015.The narrow-bodied plane would have two open rotor engines above a wide tail fin, with a lightweight body constructed of carbon composites.
EasyJet's plans would put the airline five years ahead of CO2 cuts targeted by aviation body ACARE of 50 percent by 2020, although it plans to more than double its fleet size by then.
Easyjet said 25 percent of CO2 emissions would be cut by using open rotor engines, which must be placed above the tail due to their size, while 15 percent would be cut by using the lighter airframe and 10 percent by air traffic control improvements.
Source: Scientific American
Image: Flickr/Albspotter
Tags: Green | Aircraft | EasyJet
Comments