Connecting aircraft data is perhaps the easiest and fastest of the paths to sustainability in the airline industry, Boeing Global Services and Raytheon Technologies subsidiary Collins Aerospace each said this week at the 2023 Paris Airshow. But a patchwork of national government regulations, pilot union rules, and passenger data privacy concerns stand in the way of its full potential for saving fuel, lowering emissions, and reducing costs. 

While optimizing flight paths using data presents no such concerns, squeezing more efficiencies from monitoring how pilots fly the airplane could be fraught with red tape. For example, monitoring individual pilot habits regarding landing speed and brake pedal application could reduce brake wear. Extended brake life means longer intervals for brake disc changes, lowering maintenance costs and subsequently lowering CO₂ emissions with a reduction in the need for replacement parts. But pilot unions will likely block the use of data in such a manner.

“Where we operate is kind of a complex environment of regulations and union rules and all that kind of thing,” said Boeing Global Services v-p of digital aviation solutions Brad Surak. “So some places they can do that sort of analysis, and some places they can’t.”

Using passenger data to boost efficiency, and thus sustainability, is another touchy area, noted Ed Dryden, president of Collins Aerospace’s interiors strategic business unit. “Airlines waste $2 billion in food each year,” he said. Beyond those costs, carrying the extra weight of food on board the aircraft along with on-ground food preparation and distribution generates more CO₂ emissions.

While the issue could be mitigated by using passenger data such as food preferences, personal data privacy laws—and people’s reluctance to share such information—could hinder fixing it. “Where passenger data would be stored is also an issue,” Dryden said.

So, for now, flight route optimization represents the clearest path for using data to increase sustainability, the companies said. Collins Aerospace president Steve Timm estimates that optimized routes could lower fuel burn and aircraft emissions by 1 to 2 percent—not a huge leap, but at least a step in the right direction.

“Routes have traditionally been planned for a time perspective or a fuel efficiency perspective,” noted Boeing’s Surak. “But we have tools that the airlines are using to look at carbon emissions. Using data, we actually can guide selections of altitudes in flight to help reduce carbon emissions. And we’re bringing that into the planning process.

“So airlines can choose to optimize their route structure or their flight plans based on weather conditions that are conducive to lower carbon—they might fly a little lower. We’re seeing deployment of these tools today, and it’s not uncommon to see a 1 percent reduction in fuel costs and carbon emissions. And a lot of people are getting more than a 2 to 3 percent reduction. Every little bit helps.”