Aircraft Deicing

Commercial aviation helps drive more than 10M American jobs and 5 cents of every dollar of U.S. GDP
Commercial aviation drives more than $1 trillion per year in economic activity
In 2012, U.S. airlines moved more than 48,000 tons of cargo per day
In 2012, the value of a kilogram of U.S. merchandise exported by air averaged 121 times the value exported by sea
For every 100 airline jobs, some 360 are supported outside of the airline industry
Federal taxes constitute $61 – or 20% – of the price of a typical $300 domestic round-trip ticket
In 2011, U.S. airlines carried 16 percent more passengers and cargo using 10 percent less fuel than in 2000
Domestically, airlines drive 5% of economic activity but account for 2% of man-made GHG emissions
From 2000-2011, airlines reduced GHG emissions by 11% while transporting 16% more passengers and cargo
From 1975-2011, U.S. airlines and their partners reduced significant noise exposure by 99%
Commercial air travel is the safest form of intercity transportation in the United States
In the most recent decade, scheduled air service on U.S. airlines was seven times safer than in the 1970s
From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines improved the on-time arrival rate from 72.6% to 81.9%
From 2000-2012, U.S. airlines reduced the flight cancellation rate sharply from 3.30% to 1.29%
Airfares are a bargain: From 2000-2012, U.S. CPI rose 33% while average domestic fare rose just 14%
Adjusted for inflation, the average round-trip domestic airfare fell 15% from 2000
2007 domestic flight delays cost the United States approximately $31 billion
In 2012, the value of U.S. merchandise exported by air reached an all-time high of $427B
In 2012, U.S. exports of air-travel services reached an all-time high of $39.5B, driving a $5.1B trade surplus
In 2012, U.S. passenger and cargo airlines spent more than $50B on fuel, averaging 36% of operating expenses
In 2012, U.S. airlines posted the lowest annual rate of mishandled baggage ever recorded
FAA projects U.S. air travel demand to top 1 billion passengers in 2027
In 2012, US airlines flew 83.4 million passengers in scheduled international service - a record high
In 2012, the total value of merchandise exported from or imported to the United States by air exceeded $927 billion
In 2012, 7.15 teragrams of merchandise was exported from or imported to the United States by air

	Aircraft Deicing
	PubZone1 One area of particular focus is aircraft deicing. Airlines apply deicing and anti-icing fluids to aircraft to ensure safe operation during winter storm events in accord with requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Airports have responsibility for clearing and deicing runway and taxiway surfaces. Subject to the overriding imperative to maintain the safety of passengers and crew, airlines and airports are also committed to addressing the potential environmental concerns associated with deicing. Aircraft deicing and anti-icing fluids are formulated to meet rigid SAE performance specifications and are generally composed of a freeze point depressant (most commonly propylene glycol), about 10 percent water and 2 percent additives. The primary environmental concern associated with deicing fluid is the possibility of high oxygen depletion in receiving waters due to rapid biodegradation, which can have negative impacts on aquatic life. However, this concern is largely mitigated because of the nature of deicing operations. First, deicing fluid is usually applied in a diluted form, and when combined with other stormwater runoff, the concentration of propylene glycol in the stormwater is relatively low. Second, aircraft deicing occurs during the winter, which is a time when biodegradation is slow. Finally, airlines and airports take numerous measures to limit the amount of deicing fluid that ends up in stormwater. While the toxicity of additives had been some concern in the past, fluid manufacturers – driven by demand from their airline customers – have reformulated fluids so that they are essentially non-toxic. In addition, manufacturers continue to make progress towards developing fluids that exert lower oxygen demand in receiving waters. At the same time, airlines use sophisticated technology and operational procedures to apply deicing fluid and limit the amount applied to each aircraft. Airports use a variety of measures to limit the discharge of deicing fluid in stormwater, including the use of glycol collection systems, which include dedicated deicing pads and collection systems, or the use of glycol recovery vehicles. Finally, in many cases airports recycle collected deicing fluid, divert stormwater with deicing fluid to a public wastewater treatment facilities, or limit the amount of deicing fluid that is discharged into stormwater runoff at any given time. PubZone2	A4A supports a truly comprehensive, meaningfully balanced U.S. energy policy and is committed to protecting our planet.