FAA administrator Marion Blakey's warning to Europe (see above) that it should not attempt to act unilaterally over emissions control measures for aviation is particularly timely. It has given notice to Europe's governments that they will have to consider alternative measures to cut European aviation's fuel use.
Conveniently for those governments that actually want to make a positive difference, the Eurocontrol Performance Review Commission has published figures showing them just how many tonnes of aviation-produced carbon dioxide they have the power to cut almost immediately, without demanding compliance from non-European entities. All they have to do is to put pressure on their transport departments, national aviation authorities, military air arms and air navigation service providers to be efficient. At present, air traffic management systems are so inefficient that the average intra-European flight travels 48.6km (26.2nm) further - or 5.9% of the average trip distance - than it needs to fly.
Here's the challenge to Europe's politicians: don't blame it all on the Americans clean up your own back yard.
Source: Flight International