A Methodology for Evaluating Aviation Sustainability Perspectives

This study addresses the sustainability of aviation in the coming decades. In order to establish a modelling approach for the global air transport sector, the prospective contribution of air transport to fuel consumption and environmental impacts over several decades is considered. To achieve ambitious sustainability goals, it is believed that new aeronautical technologies must be developed and air transport operations must be continuously optimised. This should necessitate substantial investments in research and development (R&D) and equipment by aeronautical manufacturers and air transport operators (airline fleets and airport infrastructures), and queries such as what, how much, and when must be answered. The proposed framework permits levels of detail (air transport services, aircraft classes, and technologies) compatible with strategic decision-making aimed at meeting the demand for air transport services while meeting sustainability goals. Once informed, this framework will enable simulation testing of possible coherent solution scenarios or formulation of global optimisation decision-making problems pertaining to R&D investment in civil aeronautics, fleet renewal by air transport operators, and airport modernization.