Singapore Airlines Adopts SITA OptiClimb® to Reduce Emissions by 15,000 Tons a Year

SITA’s in-flight fuel efficiency technology, SITA OptiClimb® makes fuel savings of up to five per-cent per trip to reduce CO2 emissions during climb-out. Predictions estimate an annual reduction of carbon emissions by 5.6 million tons if every airline used SITA OptiClimb®.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently highlighted the urgent need for carbon reduction technology with their predictions that on the current trajectory, cumulative volumes of aviation carbon emissions will reach 21.2 gigatons between 2021 and 2050.

Singapore Airlines and Sustainability

In Singapore Airlines’ Sustainability Report FY2021/22, the airline CEO Goh Choon Phong assured that commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governmental (ESG) goals were “a priority.” The report laid out a roadmap of “investing in new generation aircraft, achieving higher operational efficiencies, adopting low-carbon technology, and sourcing high quality carbon offsets” to achieve net-zero by 2050.

Discussing the adoption of SITA’s technology, Captain Quay Chew Eng, Senior Vice President of Flight Operations at Singapore Airlines said:

“Singapore Airlines uses multiple levers to achieve our sustainability goals, including the latest technologies to optimize fuel efficiency in a bid to reduce carbon emissions. SITA OptiClimb® utilizes advanced analytics to support this outcome. We will continue to look for innovative solutions to reduce our carbon footprint and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

SITA OptiClimb®

SITA OptiClimb® assists airlines in optimizing fuel consumption during an aircraft’s climb-out phase. The data-driven technology is compatible with any jet aircraft type, integrating directly into the existing IT and cockpit system.

Using aircraft tail-specific machine-learning and 4D weather forecasts, the technology predicts fuel burn in tens of thousands of flight scenarios to recommend customized climb speeds at different altitudes to pilots. Historical flight data is also integrated to ensure the flight scenario is specifically tailored to the plane.

The partnership

Following a successful test period and validation of SITA OptiClimb®, the technology has been used on Singapore Airlines’ Airbus A350 fleet since August 2022. SITA’s technology is predicted to reduce the airline’s carbon emissions by up to 15,000 tons annually.

Yann Cabaret, CEO of SITA FOR AIRCRAFT, said:

“We’re extremely proud to be part of Singapore Airlines’ journey towards making aviation more sustainable, environmentally and financially. With innovative, cost-effective, and data-driven tools like SITA OptiClimb®, we can help all airlines and their employees to make more informed decisions that drive greater and much-needed operational efficiencies today.”

As companies strive to reach net-zero by 2050 targets, the adoption of carbon emission reduction technologies will become increasingly common.

At last week’s World Aviation Festival I spoke with Yann Cabaret to discuss net-zero targets, sustainability collaborations, and upcoming technology. The interview will be available in the coming weeks.

For more information on Singapore Airlines’ recent partnerships read here.

Article by Jess Brownlow

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