ANA says bon voyage as its first green-liveried Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft takes off
Tue 16 Nov 2010 – Japanese airline group ANA has unveiled its first green-liveried aircraft to reflect what it describes as the airline’s commitment to environmental sustainability and lower emissions. The livery has been applied to a Bombardier DHC8-Q400 aircraft operated by ANA WINGS, a newly-formed subsidiary, and will be used on domestic routes from this Friday (19 Nov). The Bombardier was chosen for its superior environmental performance of reduced noise and lower CO2 emissions compared to equivalent jet aircraft. As a result of an in-house competition, the aircraft has been nicknamed ‘Eco Bon’ by employees, with ‘Bon’ deriving from ‘Bon Voyage’.
In its aim to become a leading eco-friendly airline, ANA Group was the first Japanese airline to receive its government’s Eco First certification. The Eco First programme was established by the Ministry of Environment in 2008 to promote environmental protection and climate change measures among corporations. Last October, ANA Group launched a passenger carbon offset programme on all domestic routes.
The Bombardier Dash 8/Q400-series aircraft has reported 30-40% lower CO2 emissions on routes where it has replaced similar capacity older generation and/or 50-seat jet aircraft. The ‘Q’ in its name stands for ‘Quieter’, with Bombardier’s Active Noise and Vibration Suppression system significantly reducing noise and vibration inside the cabin, and outside it is claimed to be 10 decibels quieter. Last week, the Canadian aerospace manufacturer celebrated the 1,000th delivery of the Dash 8/Q400-series to Pinnacle Airlines and the turboprop aircraft is now in service with over 100 operators worldwide.
