Green Ideas Born To Fly

FARMINGTON, Conn., June 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Can the right thing and the profitable thing be the same thing? United Technologies and its UTC Aerospace Systems business say a decisive and demonstrable yes!  With the launch of "Green Ideas Born to Fly: How Weight, Design and Integrated Systems Drive Sustainable Aviation", the fourth in a series of white papers focused on building the future of aviation, UTC advances the dialogue on how to make safe, comfortable air travel economically and sustainably advantageous. And proves once and for all that less is indeed more.  

With more than 37 million flights carrying 3.5 billion people across our global skies in just a single year, concern about our environmental footprint in commercial airspace is now more important than ever. Demand for air travel is embarking on a period of unprecedented growth with expectations that by 2034 the number of commercial planes around the world will nearly double to 47,000. UTC's release of "Green Ideas Born To Fly" explores the development of innovative and integrated technologies that break new ground in delivering quieter, cleaner and more efficient products that improve air travel and contribute to greener skies.

Consider the largest commercial jets can weigh in at a whopping 850,000 pounds. Forty percent of airline operating costs come from fuel.  The heavier the plane, the more the fuel burned. The more fuel burned, the more carbon and other noxious emissions.

"Every time you think about an airplane design," Bob Guirl, a strategy advisor for UTC Aerospace Systems explains, "you think of weight. The first thing you think about is weight. The last problem you address is weight. Every model-change factors in weight. How can we increase efficiency by reducing weight?" An integrated systems approach is at the heart of delivering game-changing weight reductions.

How all of these systems work, communicate with one another, and embrace a unique, holistic view of systems design and sustainability is the work of UTC Aerospace Systems. In "Green Ideas Born to Fly,"  the team reveals the science behind sustainability to improve performance, cost, maintenance and reliability.

"The depth of our portfolio not only enables our customers to meet their performance and efficiency goals, but their sustainability goals as well," said Dave Gitlin, President of UTC Aerospace Systems.  "This will have a positive impact for generations to come. We're proud to be part of the solution on sustainability."

"What is unique about our work is that we're not just talking about one system that drives sustainability," explains John Mandyck, Chief Sustainability Officer, United Technologies. "This is a giant ecosystem inside an aircraft. One by one, from reducing miles of cable to the weight of actuators inside planes, we are finding ways to simplify design which makes for better products, improved benefits to our customer and the environment."

Curious to learn more? Click here to read the full Green Ideas Born to Fly white paper and click here for an infographic to see eight aircraft systems up close.

About UTC Aerospace Systems
UTC Aerospace Systems is one of the world's largest suppliers of technologically advanced aerospace and defense products. UTC Aerospace Systems designs, manufactures and services integrated systems and components for the aerospace and defense industries, supporting a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and customer service facilities. Visit our website at www.utcaerospacesystems.com or follow us on Twitter @utcaerosystems.

About United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC, visit www.utc.com or follow us on Twitter: @UTC. 

Contact: Melissa Noebes                                     
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+1.704.606.9716

SOURCE United Technologies Corp.