This statement was made by arguably the greatest ice hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretzky.
Gretzky holds most of the scoring records in the National Hockey League including the most goals (894) and most assists (1962).
The premise is clear, if you are not taking every opportunity to shoot, or waiting for the perfect shot you may never score.
What has this piece trivia have to do with improving the environmental credentials of the aviation industry?
The aviation business is extremely complex and the issues facing us in the push to de-carbonize are varied and in no way simple.
The industry carries a heavy regulatory burden along with one of the most stringent safety cultures in the world. This framework often makes change seem to move at a glacial pace.
Work on Sustainable fuels, Hydrogen or Electric power plants and redesigned airframes is moving in a positive direction, but as a solution to the climate change discussion, these developments often resemble the ‘perfect shot’.
However, there are a number of small but significant gains that can be made by taking the shots available now.
These include improving airspace efficiency, developing operational improvements through available tools, or something as simple as encouraging better fuel management within the airlines and amongst individual pilots.
Airspace Unlimited has spent more than 3 years developing an Airspace Optimisation Tool (AIROPT) utilizing a unique algorithm to analyze airline Flight Plan Data, Military Airspace Reservation requirements along with accurate wind aloft forecasts to produce a dynamic airspace plan that can lead to a 1% reduction in overall carbon emissions. These savings are directly measureable and lead to real savings in basic fuel burn.
This functionality is another example of the ‘perfect shot,’ however there are additional capabilities that offer genuine opportunities to create small improvements through a number of different applications. These capabilities create measurable gains that are available in a short time frame, and provide real environmental wins.
Aviation is the ultimate team sport.
There are no isolated actions. Any operational action within the eco-system creates a ripple effect felt far beyond the immediate horizon.
Within this prism, expecting any one player/stakeholder to shoulder the responsibility of addressing the climate change challenge on behalf of the rest of us is untenable as much as it is unreasonable.
Our AIROPT tool embodies the very essence of the co-operative approach required to provide credible evidence of our environmental credentials to industry critics.
At Airspace Unlimited, an innovator in airspace usage, we believe that change is possible now in a range of different areas. This is why we are developing solutions to improve strategic airspace design, minimise environmental impacts through variation of ANSP charging schemes, and help to ensure maximum efficiency in activation times and geographic positioning of military airspace reservations.
Gretzky would not have achieved anything without working with, and having the support of his teammates. Waiting for someone else to step up and take the shot is not a strategy, it is a cop out. Our mantra is “…many shavings make a pile,” so let’s not put off until tomorrow, the small improvements we can make today.