Green Pilot initiative launched to bring together climate concerned pilots and aviation professionals

To coincide with World Pilots’ Day, fuel efficiency software solutions provider OpenAirlines and Bertrand Piccard, founder of the Solar Impulse foundation, have launched Green Pilot, a collective movement of pilots and aviation professionals concerned about climate change and committed to cracking the aviation sustainability challenge. The objective, say the project’s founders, is to bring together airlines, pilots and aviation enthusiasts around a common goal to accelerate the global transition to sustainable aviation through an eco-flying movement. A website, greenpilots.com, has been set up that invites individuals and organisations, including airlines, to join the Green Pilot community. “It’s easy to join and membership offers many benefits, including networking with like-minded people, seeking advice and inspiration, and sharing with other eco-flying champions worldwide,” said Solveig Moisan, Head of Marketing & Communication at OpenAirlines.

The project emerged from a conversation between Piccard and Alexandre Feray, OpenAirlines’ CEO, after the SkyBreathe eco-flying solution developed by OpenAirlines received the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution label.

“We want Green Pilot to be a global movement of action, recognition and exchanges by creating a community of engaged actors, all making efforts to reduce the impact of aviation on the planet,” explained Feray. “Members of this community will be easily recognisable and they will be able to proudly claim ‘I am a Green Pilot’ and share their positive actions publicly.”

Added Moisan: “Airlines can be labelled Green Pilot as well but we will only recognise those that stand for green excellence and who are already excelling in protecting the environment beyond their legal obligations.”

Relying on big data algorithms, artificial intelligence and machine learning, OpenAirlines’ SkyBreathe software automatically analyses aircraft data to provide recommendations to airlines and pilots that help them reduce their fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The Toulouse-based company said its 47 worldwide airline customers saved more than $150 million in fuel costs and 590,000 tons of CO2 in 2019.

“We believe that a more sustainable way of living and travelling is possible,” said Feray. “If all airlines in the world were applying fuel efficiency practices on their flights, estimates show they could prevent 20 to 50 million tons of carbon emissions.”

Piccard was the first to fly around the world in a balloon and with Solar Impulse co-founder André Borschberg, piloted a solar-powered airplane to complete in 2016 the first circumnavigation of the globe with no fuel. To address sustainability challenges while enabling economic growth, the foundation has identified over 1,000 solutions and aims to help them reach their environmental and profitable objectives.

Photo: Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard arrives in China on Solar Impulse 2