Press Release: FAA Awards Contracts to Accelerate Environmentally Friendly Technology

June 24, 2010

WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced $125 million in contracts to develop and demonstrate technologies that will reduce commercial jet fuel consumption, emissions and noise. The contracts are part of the FAA’s Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) program — to speed the introduction of “green” technology into aviation.

“The FAA is working with the aviation community to aggressively meet critical environmental and energy goals,” said FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt. “The CLEEN program is a central piece of the Next Generation air traffic modernization environmental strategy.”

The FAA is contracting with Boeing, General Electric, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce-North America.

The five companies will research and demonstrate a variety of technologies, including: sustainable alternative aviation fuels; lighter and more efficient gas turbine engine components; noise-reducing engine nozzles; advanced wing trailing edges; optimized flight trajectories using onboard flight management systems; and open rotor and geared turbofan engines.

The five contracts are expected to total $125 million over the five-year span of the program. Under this “cost sharing” arrangement the companies will match or exceed the FAA’s contribution, bringing the overall value of the program to more than $250 million.

The CLEEN program helps develop environmentally friendly and energy efficient aircraft and engine technology that could be introduced into the commercial aircraft fleet beginning in 2015.

The goals of these research and demonstration efforts include: a reduction in fuel burn by 33 percent; a reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions by 60 percent; and a reduction in cumulative aircraft noise levels by 32 decibels.

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