SATAVIA wants to solve a majorly ignored aspect of aviation’s climate impact

In this episode, we talk to Adam Durant, Founder & CEO of SATAVIA, about the groundbreaking work being done in the field of contrail reduction and its implications on the environment.

Contrails are the long, thin clouds that often form behind an airplane in cold and humid conditions when water vapor freezes around small dust and soot particles from the engine. Although they look harmless, contrails are made up of small ice crystals that trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere and contribute to global warming – one study suggests contrails are responsible for as much as 57% of aviation’s warming impact. 

Durant talks about how addressing contrail formation is an important sustainability problem that can be tackled effectively with current technology and resources. He says that only “persistent” contrails, formed by about 5% of flights, are at fault. Moreover, he emphasises that not all contrails are harmful; some even have a cooling effect. He suggests a strategic approach, avoiding contrails that cause warming while possibly utilising those that have a cooling effect. 

Overall, while delving into the fascinating science of contrails and the technical details of how SATAVIA’s software helps airlines such as Etihad and KLM avoid contrail formation, Durant stresses the importance of looking beyond carbon emissions to fully grasp and manage the aviation sector's impact on climate change.

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with ex-Etihad CEO Tony Dougas who shared how Etihad is paving the way for the entire industry to move a step closer to net-zero. Check it out here.

Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.

Links & More:

Technology - SATAVIA    

Contrails are a problem for aviation -- but there could be an easy solution - CNN 

The contribution of global aviation to anthropogenic climate forcing for 2000 to 2018 - ScienceDirect 

Etihad Airways signs multi-year commercial production contract with Satavia - Times Aerospace

Contrails prevention specialist SATAVIA seeks carbon-credit accreditation - Aviation Week Network

Institute for Atmospheric Physics - Contrail Cirrus Prediction Model (CoCiP)

Gold Standard approves aircraft contrails methodology concept - Gold Standard 

Project Contrails – Google Research 

How Etihad is leading the industry towards a sustainable future - SimpliFlying