Airline saves millions on fuel and reduces CO2 emissions

Citation

(2009), "Airline saves millions on fuel and reduces CO2 emissions", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 81 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2009.12781eaf.003

Airline saves millions on fuel and reduces CO2 emissions

Airline saves millions on fuel and reduces CO₂ emissions

Article Type: Mini features From: Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology: An International Journal, Volume 81, Issue 5

Southwest Airlines has performed nearly 1,500 Pratt & Whitney EcoPower engine washes since July 2006, saving more than 9 million gallons of fuel worth $12.5 million and reducing its carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by nearly 90,000 metric tons. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company. Southwest Airlines, reported to be the US's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers, currently serves 65 cities in 33 states.

Now, under a long-term agreement, Southwest Airlines uses the patented, environmentally friendly Pratt & Whitney EcoPower engine wash system at airports in Orlando, Florida, and Oakland, California, through established Pratt & Whitney service centers. Southwest Airlines is the world's largest operator of CFM56-7B engines.

“Southwest is committed to being an environmental leader”, said Johnny Holley, Manager of Powerplant Engineering for Southwest Airlines. “Pratt & Whitney's EcoPower engine wash system helps us reduce CO₂ emissions while also reducing our costs. This helps us continue to offer our customers the value they expect.”

“The benefits of the Pratt & Whitney EcoPower engine wash system speak for themselves”, said Anupam Bhargava, General Manager, Pratt & Whitney Line Maintenance Services. “Southwest Airlines demonstrates that investing in operations that are good for the environment can also improve the bottom line.”

Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 35,000 employees system wide. Environmental stewardship is a responsibility Southwest takes seriously, and efficient operations are the hallmark of Southwest. Over the decades, Southwest has been at the forefront of such efficiencies as paperless tickets, quick turnarounds, installation of winglets, and more recently, the installation of fleet-wide advanced avionics.

Pratt & Whitney's patented EcoPower engine wash system reduces fuel burn by as much as 1.2 per cent, eliminating 3È of CO₂ emissions for every pound of fuel saved, while also decreasing engine gas temperature thus increasing the amount of time an engine can stay on wing. The EcoPower system, offered through the Pratt & Whitney Global Service Partners network, uses a closed-loop system with pure, atomised water to wash aircraft engines, avoiding potential contaminant runoff. The system is claimed to be more effective and much faster than traditional engine washing processes.

Fuel cost saving estimates are based on the April 2009 average fuel price of $1.38/gal.

For further details, please contact: Pratt & Whitney. Tel.: +1 860 565 3433.