Lightweight containers will help reduce airline fuel consumption and reduce emissions, says manufacturer
(photo: Nordisk)
Thu 2 Oct 2008 – US container manufacturer Nordisk Aviation Products says using its lightweight unit load devices (ULDs) can support carriers that are implementing aircraft weight reduction programmes in order to save fuel and reduce emissions. The company produces two models that it says can provide considerable overall cost savings to airlines, while at the same time minimizing their environmental impact.
Nordisk produces the Weightsaver and Ultralite containers and estimates that a Boeing 747-400 using 14 of the devices instead of standard versions for an average 250 eight-hour-plus flights a year could provide annual savings to its owner more than $84,000 in fuel costs.
“Airline fuel consumption imposes a big impact on our environment,” comments John Suddarth, President of Teleflex Aerospace, Nordisk’s parent company. “We’re pleased that Nordisk’s industry-leading products help reduce both harmful emissions and fuel costs.”
Hector Plaza, ULD Business Development Manager, says: “We focus on providing lightweight and durable ULDs that address the aviation industry’s challenge of weight reduction in addition to environmental concerns.”
The Nordisk Weightsaver uses Twintex sheets, a material which combines glass fibre and thermoplastic and has a tensile strength similar to aluminium, but does not dent when hit by a blunt object. The Nordisk Ultralite’s panels are made of DuPont Kevlar fibre, a material used in bulletproof vests, which is highly resistant to punctures and abnormal use, and provides a per unit weight reduction of 15-20kg compared to a traditional aluminium LD3-sized container.