Sustainability In The Air

In this episode, we talk to Ricky Sandhu , Founder and Executive Chairman of Urban-Air Port , who shares insights into the company's groundbreaking vertiport technology and vision for the future of urban air mobility (AAM). Urban-Air Port is at the forefront of AAM infrastructure, with their main product Air-One being the world's first fully-operational and off-grid hub for electric vert...

In this episode, we talk to Ed Mason, Founder & CEO of Jet Zero Australia , who shares insights into the company’s ambitious projects to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at a commercial scale.  Jet Zero Australia is an Australian bioenergy company that aims to develop the country’s first Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) facility for SAF production, using surplus ethanol from agricultural and sugarc...

In this episode, we talk to Alejandra Martín Frías, Head of Sustainability Research at FLIGHTKEYS , who shares insights into the company’s research on contrail avoidance and its potential impact on aviation sustainability. Condensation trails, also known as contrails, are long, thin clouds that often form behind an aircraft in cold and humid conditions when water vapour freezes around small dust a...

In this episode, we talk to Brian Moran, Chief Sustainability Officer at Boeing , who shares the company’s multifaceted approach to decarbonising the aviation industry, focusing on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), innovative technologies, and the importance of regaining trust in the wake of its recent crisis . Moran discusses Boeing’s Cascade model, an open-source dynamic data modelling tool devel...

In this episode, we talk to Ali Warrington, Senior Campaigner at Possible , a UK-based climate charity that enables people to take practical action on climate change.  Possible has been at the forefront of climate action and has been instrumental in lodging formal complaints against airlines like Virgin Atlantic and British Airways for their greenwashing claims. The charity, along with other clima...

In this episode, we talk to Akshat Rathi , award-winning senior climate reporter for Bloomberg News. Rathi is the host of Bloomberg’s podcast Zero that explores the policies, tactics and clean technologies pushing for a zero emissions future. He is also the author of the book Climate Capitalism , which tracks the unlikely heroes driving the fight against climate change. Rathi argues that for years...

In this episode, we talk to Grace Vihenda, Senior Manager, Innovation and Sustainability at Kenya Airways , who shares the airline’s efforts to promote sustainable aviation in Africa, a continent with abundant resources for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production but limited infrastructure and investment. In 2023, Kenya Airways became the first African airline to use SAF for an intercontinental...

In this episode, we talk to Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet, who shares the company’s journey in developing the world’s first proven alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) technology that converts ethanol into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel.  Samartzis discusses LanzaJet’s ambitious target of producing 1 billion gallons of SAF by 2030. Elaborating on LanzaJet’s highly efficient and capital-li...

In our first-ever bilingual episode, we talk to Preeti Jain, Head of Net Zero Transition Program at the International Air Transport Association ( IATA ). Jain provides an in-depth look at the challenges and opportunities in scaling up sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to help aviation achieve its goal of net zero emissions by 2050.  The interview is presented in two parts: English followed by Hindi....

In this episode, we welcome back Dan Rutherford , Senior Director of Research at the International Council on Clean Transportation ( ICCT ), for his second appearance on the show. Rutherford shares his insights on the latest developments, partnerships, and challenges in reducing aviation emissions and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Rutherford discusses ICCT's expanded collaborations wi...

In this episode, we talk to Diana Birkett Rakow, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs & Sustainability at Alaska Airlines , who shares the airline’s ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2040. To reach the 2040 goal, Alaska Airlines has developed a comprehensive five-part path. The plan includes focusing on operational efficiency, fleet modernisation, sustainable aviation fuels...

In this episode, we talk to Daniel Rosen Jacobson, co-founder, co-CEO and Chief Business Officer of Elysian Aircraft , a startup that is developing a clean-sheet 90-seater battery electric aircraft. Jacobson discusses Elysian’s unique approach to electric aviation, which focuses on a larger aircraft capable of carrying passengers over distances of about 800 km – longer than most current electric a...

In this episode, we talk to three key members of Harbour Air , North America’s largest seaplane airline. Harbour Air’s CEO Bert Van Der Stege, Engineering and Quality Manager Erika Holtz, and Head of Digital and Customer Experience Suzanne Bremski discuss the airline’s vision for the future of electric aviation. Harbour Air has a strong track record of prioritising sustainability, being the first...

In this episode, we talk to Finlay Asher, co-founder of Safe Landing , a global community of aviation workers who are working within the sector to reduce the climate impact of aviation.  Asher emphasises the need for a holistic approach to sustainable aviation, which goes beyond efficiency improvements and includes demand reduction measures. He touches upon the challenges of balancing growth and s...

In this episode, we speak with SimpliFlying’s CEO Shashank Nigam, COO Shubhodeep Pal and Head of Sustainability, Dirk Singer about the launch of SimpliFlying’s first annual Sustainable Aviation Outlook Report . As the world reels from the catastrophic consequences of climate change, the question of what the aviation industry can do about sustainability is rife with divided opinions. Is net zero by...

In this episode, we talk to Eloa Guillotin, the Co-Founder & CEO at Beyond Aero . Founded with the vision of providing a sustainable alternative to traditional private jets, Beyond Aero aims to revolutionise the industry by focusing on the CS-23 certification category for a six-passenger aircraft. Guillotin discusses Beyond Aero’s innovative approach to aircraft design, which involves a 100% e...

In this episode, we talk to Mark Edwards, Head of Sustainability at London Gatwick. As one of the busiest airports in Europe, Gatwick has set an ambitious target to achieve net zero emissions by 2030, 20 years ahead of the UK’s national target. Edwards discusses Gatwick’s multi-faceted approach to sustainability, which includes addressing Scope 1 and 2 emissions through the use of renewable electr...

In this episode, we talk to Rachel Gardner-Poole, who chairs the Zero Emission Flight (ZEF) Delivery Group within the UK’s Jet Zero Council . Established in 2020, the Jet Zero Council is a collaborative effort between the government, industry, and academia to achieve net zero emissions in UK aviation by 2050. Gardner-Poole discusses the UK Government’s multi-departmental involvement in the Jet Zer...

In this episode, we speak with Robb Etnyre, General Manager at Truckee Tahoe Airport (KTRK), a pioneering general aviation airport that has become the first in the world to fully transition to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Located near the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, Truckee Tahoe Airport serves a diverse range of private and business aviation customers. Etnyre shares the story of KT...

In this episode, we speak with Sebnem Erzan, Global Head of Travel Sustainability & Transport at Google. Erzan shares the tech giant’s vision for sustainable travel, which focuses on empowering users with accurate and consistent information to make environmentally conscious travel decisions. Erzan highlights the importance of the Travel Impact Model , a transparent and non-commercial tool deve...

In this episode, we talk to Billy Nolen, Chief Safety Officer at Archer Aviation , a leading electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft company. Nolen recently joined Archer after a distinguished career at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), bringing with him a wealth of experience in aviation safety and regulation. Nolen provides an in-depth look at Archer’s progress in certify...

In this episode, we talk to Jamila Yamani, Director of Climate & Energy at Salesforce , who shares fascinating insights into the company’s commitment to sustainability, and how the company is taking a unique approach to advancing sustainable aviation as a non-airline entity. Yamani discusses why sustainability matters to Salesforce, emphasising that it’s not just about risk mitigation but also...

In this episode, we talk to Andrew Chen, Principal for Aviation Decarbonisation at RMI . Founded in 1982 as Rocky Mountain Institute, RMI is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit that seeks to transform the global energy system to ensure a clean, zero-carbon future.    Chen discusses RMI's multi-faceted approach to aviation decarbonisation, which includes stimulating demand for Sustainable...

In this episode, we talk to Sangita Sharma, Director of Delta Air Lines’ Sustainable Skies Lab , who shares how the lab is fostering innovation and accelerating a sustainable future for air travel. The Sustainable Skies Lab aims to advance research, design and testing for transformative sustainable innovations, for both near-term and long-term environmental goals. The lab seeks to merge Delta’s ex...

In this episode, we talk to Nicholas Flanders, Co-Founder and CEO of carbon transformation company, Twelve , who highlights the pivotal role of clean technology in addressing environmental challenges, particularly in hard-to-decarbonise sectors like aviation. The versatility of Twelve’s technology is underscored by their ability to transform CO2 into a wide range of products, from sunglasses and w...