With research suggesting that the world aircraft fleet will double by 2020, the online training programme has been produced to outline the key environmental issues and explain how the growth of aviation can be sustained without adversely affecting the environment.


The Aviation and The Environment Programme, the first of its kind, has been launched for air traffic control staff through Europe. It addresses the complex issues of economic, social, and environmental sustainability and investigates specifically how air traffic operational practices can contribute to sustaining the environment whilst meeting the diverse needs of aviation stakeholders.


"Environmental issues such as noise and emissions are of increasing global concern. Air traffic management does not have the solution, but we do have a role to play in mitigating the environmental impacts of aviation," said Mr Bo Redeborn, Director ATM Strategies of EUROCONTROL.


"The Environmental Awareness eLearning programme is designed to give all operational staff a good understanding of general issues associated with environment and aviation, as well as indications of what actions they can take in their daily work to help mitigate the impact of aviation on the environment."


Mike Ditchburn, Managing Director, Bourne Training commented: "Having won a pan-European tender to develop the programme, we are delighted with the outcome in what is a key objective for EUROCONTROL, given the likely increase in European air traffic and the associated environmental impact. The important aspect now is to monitor learners through the programme in order to identify its impact on air traffic operations."


As well as being available to air traffic control staff, the programme is also available to members of the public so they can better understand the environmental issues relating to the aviation industry. EUROCONTROL now intend to develop more advanced aviation-and-the-environment courses as part of their ongoing environment sustainability commitment.