Lufthansa marks 30 years collecting climate data on passenger flights

Airports

Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer at Lufthansa Group | Lufthansa Group

By Sky Industry News

Dec 9, 2024

Over the past three decades, the Lufthansa Group has conducted over 35,000 measurement flights to gather crucial climate data. These efforts are part of a broader commitment to climate research, which began in 1994. The company collaborates with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the Jülich Research Center to equip its passenger aircraft with scientific instruments that collect atmospheric data during regular flights.

Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer at Lufthansa Group, stated: “We are proud to have been able to make a significant contribution to climate research for 30 years. The further development of aviation is deeply rooted in the DNA of the Lufthansa Group, and it is our aspiration to play a leading role in the development of new technologies."

Lufthansa's climate research initiatives started with its 100th Airbus aircraft entering service in 1994. This aircraft was equipped with a measurement system for the MOZAIC project. Since then, Lufthansa has expanded its involvement in projects like IAGOS and CARIBIC.

Get the Newsletter

Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

The data collected is shared globally through a central database managed by CNRS in Toulouse and is used by around 300 organizations worldwide. This information helps refine climate models and improve weather forecasts.

The Lufthansa Group continues to expand its research fleet. Currently, they are converting an Airbus A350-900 into a flying laboratory as part of the IAGOS-CARIBIC project. This initiative will allow for detailed measurements of trace gases and other atmospheric parameters.

Additionally, many Lufthansa aircraft are equipped with systems that provide meteorological data used by services such as Germany's DWD for weather forecasting.

The company also participates in projects aimed at understanding non-CO2 emissions from aviation and developing methods to mitigate their effects. These include D-KULT and CICONIA projects focusing on contrail formation and flight planning optimization.