São Paulo – Airline Etihad should change the engines of some of its Airbus A330 aircraft in an attempt to reduce fuel costs, aircraft consumption and emission of pollutants. According to magazine Arabian Business this is a sector attempt to reduce the impact caused by delays in the delivery of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Etihad, the airline of Abu Dhabi, has placed orders for 35 of these aircraft, whose delivery has suffered delays.
The 787 Dreamliner was designed to transport between 230 and 300 passengers on long-haul flights. In comparison with the Boeing 767, which is similar sized, this model consumes 20% less fuel. The company planned the 787 to be in operation in 2008, but the project has been delayed and the first aircraft of the model was only delivered this year, to Air Nippon Airways, in Japan.
Etihad should change the engines of 15 of its 18 A330 aircraft. The measure should reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10,000 tonnes a year and generate an economy equivalent to one million gallons of fuel a year. In a press statement, the head of operations at Etihad, Richard Hill, stated that the use of the engines should result in an economy of US$ 170,000 per aircraft per year.
*Translated by Mark Ament
