An environmental assessment of air traffic speed constraints in the departure phase of flight: A case study at Gothenburg Landvetter Airport, Sweden

This paper considers the environmental effects of air traffic management speed constraints during the departure phase of flight. We present a CO2 versus noise trade-off study that compares aircraft departure procedures subject to speed constraints with a free speed scenario. A departure route at Gothenburg Landvetter Airport in Sweden is used as a case study and the analysis is based on airline flight recorded data extracted from the Airbus A321 aircraft. Results suggest that CO2 emissions could be reduced by 180 kg per flight if all departure speed constraints were removed at a cost of increased noise exposure below 70 dB(A).

► The environmental effects of air traffic departure speed constraints are evaluated.
► A real departure route at Gothenburg Landvetter Airport is used as a case study.
► A CO2 vs. noise trade-off study is carried out for five speed constraint scenarios.
► CO2 could be reduced by 180 kg per flight if all speed constraints removed.