The Japan Airlines Group (JAL) plans to extend the use of user preferred route (UPR) on its flights between Japan and Australia that will cut 560,000 litres of fuel a year from the daily round trip to Sydney and Brisbane, a saving of US$250,000.
After receiving safety verifications from the Japan Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), the US Federal Aviation Administration and Australian civil aviation authorities, UPR trials on the route between Tokyo, Narita and Brisbane and Sydney will start from June 4.
UPR is a flight path planning system that helps to reduce fuel consumption and thereby reduce CO2 gas emissions.
Since May 7, JAL has been using the continuous descent arrival method for flights landing late at night and early in the morning at Osaka's Kansai International Airport.
This allows an aircraft to descend continuously from its cruising altitude when approaching the airport, reducing the use of engine thrust and consequently the amount of fuel used.
Using this method on the three daily flights operated by JAL during the applicable time belt, an estimated 320,000 litres of fuel can be saved a year, reducing CO2 gas emissions by 800 tonnes.
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