Sustainability and Environment

Flight Operations and Certification

17 March 2022

Enhancing approach procedures to reduce noise and environmental impact (DREAMS)

How can Enhanced Approach Procedures (EAP) of airplanes contribute to reducing noise and environmental impact? NLR, EUROCONTROL, Indra, ENAV and Airbus participated in large-scale live flight demos as part of the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking research project VLD1 DREAMS SESAR. This comprised a series of satellite-enabled solutions aimed at evaluating sustainable approach procedures in real […]
Flight of NLR pipistrel above Rotterdam
Sustainability and Environment

02 March 2022

Electric flight achievable in the Netherlands by 2026

Electrification of small-scale short-haul flights in the Netherlands is achievable. The first electrically powered flights, for nine passengers, could be certified and available on the short-haul market by 2026. That would make it possible to take an important step towards making aviation more sustainable. That is the result of a study carried out by NACO/Royal […]
NLR Pipistrel at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport
Sustainability and Environment

16 February 2022

Sustainable challenges for Brussels

The Member of the European Parliament Caroline Nagtegaal talked to Royal NLR about the challenges in aviation. The climate challenge does not stop at national borders. It is a complex issue that concerns the whole of Europe. A lot needs to be done outside the aviation sector too to make the continent climate-neutral by 2050. […]
Broken airplane
Sustainability and Environment

08 February 2022

Circular economy gradually finding its way in the aviation sector

This is the Week of the Circular Economy in the Netherlands. During last year’s edition, NLR organised a webinar and, together with its partners, NLR has been up to a lot since then. Connections were made with like-minded organisations and NLR incorporated the concept of circular aviation in its new Climate-Neutral Aviation programme. However, many […]
NLR research airplane at Twente Airport
Sustainability and Environment

24 January 2022

Technology Base and Royal NLR commit to Twente Airport for innovative and sustainable aviation

Technology Base Business Campus and Royal NLR are intensifying their cooperation to further develop opportunities at Twente Airport as a test and innovation airport. On behalf of NLR and Technology Base, in January two contracts have been signed that start to implement this. This involves a multi-year lease for office and work space on behalf […]
Sustainability and Environment

17 November 2021

Electric flight around the Netherlands: Rotterdam - Schiphol Airport

Many airports experienced a first: the landing of the first electric plane at the end of August. Royal NLR flew a round of the Netherlands with a fully electric plane, the Pipistrel. First round: from Rotterdam to Schiphol. To meet the climate goals, we have to be more sustainable. Aviation accounts for about three percent […]
Sustainability and Environment

17 November 2021

Electric flight around the Netherlands: Teuge-Groningen Airport

Many airports experienced a first: the landing of the first electric plane at the end of August. Royal NLR flew a round of the Netherlands with a fully electric plane, the Pipistrel. During the second round we visited Teuge Airport and Groniningen Airport Eelde. To meet the climate goals, we have to be more sustainable. […]
Silhouette of Airplane in Golden Hour
Sustainability and Environment

11 November 2021

Blog: An addition to the sustainable development goals

On October 31st the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) started in Glasgow. And the news is full of articles reminding us all, once again, the impact of all human activities on the climate and the desperate need to change. Criticism is raised against those participants who travelled to Glasgow by plane. As it happens […]
Flight testing NLR Citation above DNW wind tunnel
Sustainability and Environment

01 October 2021

Innovations in aviation to preserve the environment and the climate

The Dutch aviation sector is investing in clean and smart mobility. To do that, various consortiums under the auspices of the sector organisations LRN and NAG have submitted ten project proposals to the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO. Royal NLR has played an essential role in that. Given the aim of improved sustainability in aviation, the sector […]