“As Hawai‘i’s flagship carrier, we remain committed to protecting our environment for future generations and reducing our carbon footprint every day and on every flight,” said Ken Rewick, Hawaiian’s vice president of flight operations. “We can do this by optimizing our existing technology and maximizing efficiency in all phases of flight. We look forward to the successful completion of ASPIRE goals on this historic and symbolic Earth Day journey and the opportunity to apply for more city-pairs in the future.”
In 2008, Airservices Australia, Airways New Zealand and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA_ joined forces to create ASPIRE. The joint venture is designed to lessen the environmental impact of aviation across Asia and the South Pacific. To qualify as an ASPIRE-Daily route, aircraft must be equipped with advanced avionics, including satellite-based Required Navigation Performance avionics and the Future Air Navigation System.
Hawaiian will use advanced air traffic management procedures from gate to gate and collaborate with air navigation service providers (ANSPs), including Airways New Zealand and the FAA, to demonstrate all seven of ASPIRE’s best practices, including: User Preferred Routes; Dynamic Airborne Reroute Procedures; 30/30 Reduced Oceanic Separation; Time-based Arrivals Management; Arrivals Optimization; Departures Optimization; and Surface Movement Optimization.
“Airways New Zealand has delivered a number of airspace enhancements over the last eight years that contribute to the growth of sustainability in aviation,” Airways Head of Auckland Operations Tim Boyle said. “It is assisting its customer airlines to reduce C02emissions by more than 37,000 tons annually.”
“It’s encouraging that Hawaiian Airlines is taking advantage of efficiencies in our airspace. We look forward to facilitating their success by coordinating activities at Auckland Airport, and throughout air space in New Zealand and the South Pacific,” Tim said.
The ASPIRE HA Flight 446 will be an Airbus A330 aircraft piloted by Captain Brian Beres and First Officers Mark Langton and Eric Bethke. Dispatcher Kent Sharrar will plan the flight, scheduled to depart Auckland International Airport (AKL) at 12:15 a.m. and arrive at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) at 11:00 a.m. HST.
By implementing these ASPIRE procedures on the AKL-HNL route alone, Hawaiian will use one percent less fuel (approximately 1,000 pounds) per flight, which equates to 230 metric tons fewer carbon emissions annually. According to equivalencies provided by the EPA, this is comparable to taking 48 cars off the road. In addition, Hawaiian’s fuel-efficient fleet of Airbus A330s are equipped with Trent 700 Rolls-Royce engines, netting 700 fewer tons of carbon emissions per aircraft per year.