Carbon Elfnalysis: One Aircraft Type Proves Most Efficient In December

With the festive season well underway, cargo carriers work hard to deliver all our frantically ordered last-minute gifts. This very merry edition of the Carbon Analysis recaps last December's CO2 emissions associated with some popular cargo aircraft. These are the 767F, the A330F, and of course, Santa's sleigh.

The 767F and A330F are operated by numerous carriers worldwide with a total in-service fleet of 646. Yet staggeringly, with only one operator and an in-service fleet of 1 – the sleigh is responsible for handling more cargo in December than any other aircraft. It is estimated that up to 500 million flight cycles are required to make all the stops necessary.

One might assume that all that flying has a significant environmental impact. However, unlike the 767F and A330F, the sleigh doesn’t operate on traditional jet fuel. Instead, it is fueled simply by magic, ethically sourced and zero-carbon. Though some coal is stored on-board, Aviation Week is assured by the operator that this is never burnt, and only ever delivered to naughty consignees.

Keen-eyed readers may have spotted that there are still some emissions associated with the sleigh. However, this can be attributed to the operator, rather than the aircraft.

Firstly, the sleigh is typically used in overnight operations, so to read the shipping information on the cargo, the operator requires a small gas lamp.

The bulk of emissions associated with sleigh operations, however, arises from the nine engines. Thrust is generated using 100% magic, but their carrot consumption at this time of year leads to the emission of additional greenhouse gases. That said, carrot-related atmospheric emissions are considered carbon-neutral, as they will have been sequestered in the global carrot crop again this December.

If you’d like to know more about carbon emissions, take a look at Aviation Week’s Tracked Aircraft Utilization tool.

Here's hoping this highly efficient aircraft brings you the cargo you asked for this year!

Happy Holidays from Aviation Week Network.