AI-driven contrail mitigation trial in Asia-Pacific with Cathay Pacific

We have joined forces with Cathay Pacific to explore the potential of AI-powered contrail mitigation technology. This partnership aims to gather valuable new data for global contrail research and enhance our understanding of contrail formation and avoidance in the Asia-Pacific region.

By employing artificial intelligence, we assist pilots in avoiding the creation of contrails that trap heat, contributing to climate change. Our initial trials involved small altitude adjustments, which successfully reduced the warming impact of these contrails by 40%. We are now expanding these trials in the Asia-Pacific region to demonstrate that this method is a practical and cost-effective approach to reducing aviation’s climate footprint.

Contrails, the thin white streaks left by airplanes, form when aircraft fly through cold, humid air. While most dissipate quickly, some persist and spread, resembling clouds that trap heat in the atmosphere. Approximately one-third of aviation’s total climate impact is attributed to contrails.

Our efforts to mitigate contrails have evolved from AI research models to real-world trials in the United States and the North Atlantic. Now, they are being implemented in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific aviation market. Partnering with Cathay Pacific, our first commercial airline partner in Asia, we are testing contrail avoidance on ultra-long-haul flights. Initial trials, conducted over 80 flights, demonstrated a 40% reduction in the warming effect of contrails by following routes designed to avoid them.

The concept of avoiding contrails is relatively straightforward. Aircraft make slight altitude adjustments to bypass cold, humid zones that are prone to forming warming contrails. Pilots routinely make such adjustments for various operational reasons, always within safety parameters. These changes are unlikely to impact passenger experience or flight safety. To facilitate this process, pilots receive actionable data well ahead of departure, which is then integrated into cockpit operations.

Our system employs AI predictions, satellite imagery, and advanced weather intelligence to identify contrail-forming zones in advance. This allows dispatchers and pilots to plan slight altitude shifts accordingly. Cathay Pacific uses in-flight Wi-Fi and its proprietary Electronic Flight Folder (EFF) to provide pilots with live insights, ensuring they have access to this data alongside standard operational metrics.

The operational trial involved more than 100 flights across Cathay Pacific’s network, with over 80 flights following contrail-avoidance routes. Analysis by Google’s satellite imagery estimated a 40% reduction in the warming impact of contrails. Notably, the Hong Kong–Singapore route, often encountering conditions conducive to contrail formation, accounted for over 50% of the emissions reduction achieved during the trial.

We are now expanding our partnership with Cathay Pacific to a larger second phase of trial flights. Additionally, we have partnered with Contrails.org, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to advancing contrail mitigation science. These trials aim to deepen the understanding of how contrail avoidance can be applied across different operational environments in Asia and transpacific routes, thereby contributing to the global body of contrail research.

Contrail mitigation is one of the most readily available, scalable, and cost-effective methods to reduce aviation’s climate footprint. These initiatives can be implemented immediately using current aircraft and fuel. By advancing open contrail research, we hope to accelerate progress in contrail science and unlock one of the most promising climate solutions available to aviation today.