SESAR solution Pairwise separation debuts at London Heathrow Airport

In a world-first, the SESAR solution known as Pairwise separation has debuted at London Heathrow Airport. This innovation boosts on-time performance whilst reducing carbon emissions.

Traditionally, aircraft arriving at an airport are separated by specific distances set by the largest aircraft in the queue. Pairwise separation involves minimising the separation between each arriving aircraft based on the specific characteristics of each aircraft type, including weight, speed and wingspan, increasing traffic flow and the landing rate, allowing planes to land on-time more frequently.

It will also reduce emissions by avoiding airborne holding, reducing the amount of fuel burned – saving tonnes of CO2 a year.

Find out more here.