|
WASHINGTON � The
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that it has awarded $100
million in contracts to eight companies to develop and demonstrate technologies
that reduce fuel consumption, emissions, and noise under the second phase of its
Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise (CLEEN II) program. �By partnering with private industry on advancing the next
generation of aviation technologies, the Department is helping shape a
world-class transit system that is efficient and environmentally sustainable,�
said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. �Today�s announcement is a win-win
for the American people, and is part of a broader Administration effort to find
innovative ways to strengthen the economy while reducing carbon emissions into
our atmosphere.� �CLEEN II represents a genuine investment and commitment by the FAA and
the industry to find ways to make aviation even cleaner, quieter, and more
energy efficient,� said FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta. �We expect that when they enter into service,
these new technologies will benefit U.S. aircraft for years to come and build
on the Obama Administration�s efforts to protect the environment.� The five-year CLEEN II program will build on the success of
the original CLEEN program, a public-private partnership that began in 2010 and
is a key part of the FAA�s NextGen efforts to make aviation more
environmentally friendly. The CLEEN team
focused on nine projects in the area of energy efficient aircraft technologies
and sustainable alternative jet fuels.
The first of these technologies will enter service in 2016. Under CLEEN II, the
FAA selected eight companies: Aurora Flight Sciences; The Boeing Co.; General
Electric (GE) Aviation; Delta TechOps/MDS Coating Technologies/America�s Phenix;
Honeywell Aerospace; Pratt & Whitney; Rolls-Royce-Corp.; and Rohr, Inc./UTC
Aerospace Systems. The companies will match or exceed the FAA�s investment,
bringing the total to at least $200 million.
The eight awardees will work to develop a variety of airframe and engine
technologies. Each effort will culminate
in a demonstration aimed at bringing the product to market. CLEEN
II will nurture these technologies through crucial phases in their maturation.
This will include full scale ground and flight test demonstrations. The CLEEN II goals include: - Reducing fuel burn by 40
percent relative to the most efficient aircraft in service during the year
2000;
- Cutting
nitrogen oxide emissions during takeoff and landing by 70 percent over the
2011 International Civil Aviation Organization standard without increasing
other emissions;
- Lowering noise
levels by 32 decibels (dBs) relative to the FAA Stage 4 noise standard;
and
- Expediting
the commercialization of �drop-in� sustainable jet fuels through support
for the fuel approval process.
The FAA anticipates that developed
CLEEN II aircraft technologies will be on a path for introduction into
commercial aircraft by 2026. See fact sheet on the entire CLEEN
program.
###
|
