Technology and Design

New aircraft designs certified during the last 10 years (e.g. Airbus A320neo, A350 and Boeing 737MAX, 787) have a cumulative margin of 5 to 15 EPNdB below the latest Chapter 14 noise standard.

While certification activities have recently reduced for conventional aircraft, they have increased in new market segments (e.g. Drones, Urban Air Mobility).

EASA is developing dedicated noise certification standards for Drone and Urban Air Mobility aircraft that take into account their specific characteristics.

In-production engine types were designed prior to the new non-volatile Particulate Matter (nvPM) standards and manufacturers are evaluating how to mitigate nvPM emissions in new engine designs.

The engine NO_X/nvPM standards, and the aircraft noise/CO₂ standards, define the design space for products to simultaneously address noise, air quality and climate change issues.

Pipistrel Velis Electro became the first fully electric general aviation aircraft to be certified by EASA in 2020 and is now being used by pilots to learn to fly.

In 2021, the Airbus A330-900neo was the first aircraft to be approved worldwide against the new aeroplane CO₂ emissions standard, although certified aeroplane CO₂ data remains limited.

The aviation industry is well known for driving forward leading-edge technological developments that filter through and benefit other sectors, such as the use of composites and 3-D printing. Following the certification of a variety of new aircraft types over the last decade (e.g. Boeing 787 and 737MAX; Airbus A350, A330neo and A320neo), the level of aircraft certification activity has reduced. The penetration of these aircraft types into the global fleet, and the accelerated retirement of older aircraft due to COVID, has led to improvements in the overall environmental performance of the European fleet.

Aircraft and engine environmental certification standards

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are implemented by EASA within the EU and EFTA. This Chapter focuses on the latest certified data for traditional subsonic aircraft and engine designs, which enables a comparison of the environmental performance of aircraft and their engines. It also provides an overview of the growing work associated with new environmental standards for emerging novel designs. Detailed data on products and figures, as well as an overview of the noise and emissions certification measurement procedures, are available on the European Aviation Environmental Report website.

Explore the sections in the Technology and Design chapter

Aircraft noise

Aircraft engine emissions

Aeroplane CO2 emissions

Drones and Urban Air Mobility Vehicles

Technology and Design

Explore the sections in the Technology and Design chapter

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