airBaltic Fully Implements Green Flying Project

Author: Linda Vīksne
Source: A/S Air Baltic Corporation

Latvian airline airBaltic has fully implemented the E-GEN project, which has been aimed to further improve its green flying, as it sets out to reduce emissions and improve efficiency.

The project has enabled airBaltic to upgrade the satellite navigation systems on its Bombardier Q400 NextGen fleet. As a result, airBaltic has implemented the highest precision approach procedures, improving its fuel efficiency and permitting landings that are more reliable.

Reklāma

Pauls Cālītis, Senior Vice President Flight Operations of airBaltic: “As an innovative company, airBaltic is always striving to increase its efficiency and benefit from the most modern technology available. We are proud to have successfully implemented this modernization program with the cooperation of EU and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) co-financing and having paved the way for other European airlines to follow in our footsteps,” Pauls Cālītis added.

The project was launched in September 2015 and technical activities of it have been successfully concluded this year. Since implementation, airBaltic has performed already more than 500 highest precision approaches across Europe.

The E-GEN project is co-financed by the GSA and will enable the entire airBaltic fleet to use satellite-guided approaches. EGNOS, the European Geostationary Overlay Service, is a satellite based augmentation system improving the signal of the current GPS system. The increased accuracy and integrity provided by EGNOS enables satellite based instrument approach procedures with vertical and lateral guidance, LPV200, equivalent to ILS CAT I.

This will offer additional benefits for the customer, as it improves airBaltic operations in marginal weather conditions, reduces fuel burn, emissions, and the noise level in the airport neighbourhoods. In addition, EGNOS can support ADS-B out as navigation source.

airBaltic serves over 70 destinations from Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius, offering the largest variety of destinations and convenient connections via Riga to its network spanning Europe, Scandinavia, the CIS and the Middle East. In summer 2019, airBaltic has launched new destinations from Riga to Dublin, Stuttgart and Lviv, and in May will launch flights to Kos and Menorca.

airBaltic in brief:

airBaltic (AIR BALTIC CORPORATION) is the most punctual airline in Europe connecting the Baltic region with over 70 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and the CIS. airBaltic is a joint stock company that was established in 1995. Its primary shareholder is the Latvian state, which holds 80.05% of the stock, while Lars Thuesen holds around 20% through his fully-owned Aircraft Leasing 1 SIA. The airBaltic fleet consists of 36 aircraft – 16 Airbus A220-300s, 8 Boeing 737s and 12 Bombardier Q400Next Gen aircraft. airBaltic has received numerous international awards for excellence and innovative services. In 2017, the airline received the CAPA Regional Airline of the Year award, while in 2018 and in 2019 airBaltic received the ATW Airline Industry Achievement Award as the Market Leader of the Year. airBaltic achieved the best on-time performance globally in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017.

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