UK and Google Test Flight Path Changes to Reduce Contrail Impact

The UK government and Google are teaming up to test changes in flight paths to reduce aviation's climate impact. The two-year study, called Operation Blue Skies, aims to minimize condensation trails, or contrails, which form when airplanes fly through cold and humid areas. Contrails can trap heat and warm the planet, contributing 1% to 2% of Earth's warming.

The trial will take place in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean over the next two winters. Air traffic controllers will instruct hundreds of commercial flights to deviate by up to 2,000 feet from their usual routes to avoid areas where contrails are likely to form. The goal is to demonstrate a statistically significant reduction in contrail formation on an airspace-scale.

The study is backed by the UK government and Google, with over half of the £5 million ($6.76 million) budget coming from the government. The consortium behind Operation Blue Skies includes the Met Office, NATS, Contrails.org, Imperial College London, and the University of Cambridge. Researchers hope to identify practical ways to make flying cleaner.