Environment

The three-litre innovation
The A380 offers outstanding ecological efficiency

The campaigners for climate protection want it, Lufthansa too: outstanding ecological efficiency. The new Lufthansa Airbus A380 sets new standards in terms of the environmental compatibility of civil aircraft. The long-range aircraft travels more economically than any other: per passenger and 100 kilometres, the A380 will use up about three litres of fuel. By comparison: in road traffic in Germany, the average fuel consumption of cars still amounts to well over eight litres. In addition, through the use of innovative materials more than 15 tons of weight is saved in the completely newly-developed wide-bodied aircraft. That means additional relief for the environment.

Lufthansa’s fuel efficiency is exemplary. Its modern fleet, which incorporates state-of-the-art technology, currently needs 4.4. litres of jet fuel to carry one passenger 100 kilometres. This is because as soon as new aircraft is purchased, Lufthansa’s fleet management experts set stringent standards – for fuel consumption, emissions and aircraft noise. Since 1970, specific fuel consumption per passenger and per kilometre has fallen by 70 per cent – a success rate that is unmatched in the industry.

Lower fuel consumption also means fewer emissions. The A380’s emission levels for nitrogen oxides, unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide are respectively 32, 98 and 79 per cent lower than the stringent ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) limits.

The Lufthansa Airbus A380 will be fitted with the quietest and most fuel-efficient engines currently available on the market. Thanks to the modern Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines and further aerodynamic improvements, the A380 has half the noise footprint of the long-range Boeing 747-200. Moreover, the A380 can carry 160 more passengers. The take-off distance required for the Airbus A380 is 10 per cent shorter than for other wide-bodied jets today. Its landing distance is five per cent shorter. Since the A380 has an outstanding climbing performance, the noise perceived during take-off is roughly equivalent to that of a truck passing at a distance of five metres in city traffic.