UK-Google Trial Aims to Reduce Aviation's Climate Impact Over Atlantic Corridor

A landmark trial is underway in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean to reduce aviation's climate impact. The British government and Google are testing changes to flight paths over a busy air traffic corridor between Europe and North America.

Hundreds of commercial flights will be asked to deviate up to 2,000 feet (610 meters) from their usual routes during the next two winters to avoid creating condensation trails, or contrails. These thin, white lines can trap heat and warm the planet, contributing around 1% to 2% to Earth's warming, according to Contrails.org.

The trial, called Operation Blue Skies, is a 30-month research program led by Google's technical lead for the project, Paul Hodgson. The goal is to demonstrate that minor altitude adjustments can reduce contrail formation on an airspace-scale, with around 10,000 flights expected to pass through the Shanwick Oceanic Control Area during the testing period.

Hodgson said that testing over an entire air traffic corridor, rather than individual airlines, will show whether it's possible to move multiple planes away from areas where contrails will form simultaneously. The trial is backed by the British government, which is paying for more than half of the £5 million study.