Kent State actively works on creating a green future, including sustainable advancements around aviation.
Kent’s in-house flight simulator is one step closer to achieving lower carbon emissions. This allows students to practice as professionals while limiting damage to our environment.
“Because of the advances that simulators have made, you could fly on the moon now,” said Joe Murray, a pilot and professor in Kent’s school of media and journalism.
Melanie Knowles, the university sustainability manger, highlighted the Kent State University Airport for having their own sustainability plan.
Climate issues related to gas emissions have been raising environmental concerns, and people are actively working to change it.
While you cannot become a certified pilot by flying simulators alone, it does reduce in-air travel time, which limits pollution.
Alternative fuels are also on the rise, including battery-operated planes and algae fuel.
“Sooner or later, this fuel we burn in the airplanes, it’s [going to] be gone,” Murray said. “They just won’t make it anymore.”
Murray discussed both of these experimental alternatives as inspiring. As many airlines work to build sustainability into their companies, limited progress has been made for actual aircraft.
“The thing that’s difficult isn’t the airplane, they can make the airplane fly with an electric motor,” Murray said. “It’s the batteries. It’s the same problem everyone has. They can’t make them big enough.”
The issue is the length of time these battery-operated motors can last. 1-2 hours is the average duration these aircraft can last. While they are zero-emission, they still limit travel to short-distance adventures.
“Aviation does have a footprint, but people still want to be able to travel and connect,” Knowles said. “There is an incredible value in being able to visit other parts of the world and connect with individuals.”
Through trial and error, experimenting and creativity, we can create a solution for sustainable air travel.
“It’s not that we want to get rid of aviation or long-distance travel, but we want to be able to do it responsibly,” Knowles said.
Morgan Hoover is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].
