ACI World calls for appropriate ICAO standards for supersonic aircraft

The Airports Council International (ACI) World has called for appropriate standards and practices for supersonic aircraft to properly address their potential impact on the environment, airport operations and the public.

With the reintroduction of supersonic aircraft potentially occurring as early as 2023, ACI is concerned that manufacturers have not been able to yet present evidence that new supersonic aircraft will be able to meet the latest ICAO standards for their subsonic counterparts.

“Public acceptance of aviation rests on our ability to face the operational and environmental challenges currently posed by noise and emissions from subsonic aircraft,” said Angela Gittens, Director General, ACI World. “The introduction of supersonic aircraft must not destroy that acceptance.

“In order to be integrated into the commercial aviation ecosystem, supersonic aircraft must not be noisier than comparable subsonic aircraft of the same Maximum Take Off Mass (MTOM) during their subsonic operations.”

Considering the pressure on airports to reduce their noise and emissions footprints, and generally reduce the impact of aviation on their communities, ACI has insisted that the re-introduction of supersonic aircraft should not undermine the efforts and achievements of the industry over the past decades.

It has, therefore, invited the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly to develop noise and emissions standards and recommend practices for supersonic aircraft in its Reintroduction of Supersonics paper. 

“This is a matter which affects the entire aviation industry and it is essential for the development of standards and recommended practices for supersonic aircraft to respond to the industry requirements while also addressing the potential impact on the community, the environment and airport operations,” Gittens continued.