With a view to check air pollution emanating from aircraft, aviation regulator DGCA has asked all airlines and other operators to submit monthly data on fuel consumption by their fleet from this month.
Directions have been issued to all Indian and foreign carriers using Indian airspace, as well as all the non- scheduled operators in the country, officials said.
Considering the enormous growth in the Indian aviation sector, they said the environmental risks associated with aviation have also increased, not only in terms of local air quality and noise impact, but also with respect to carbon-dioxide emissions.
The environmental impact of aviation, like the generation of contrails and cirrus clouds, have the potential to cause global warming and climate change, they said.
Contrails are condensation of water droplets or ice crystals from the atmosphere due to an aircraft, rocket or a missile.
Although the contribution of global aviation emissions to total emission is relatively low at about three per cent, it is expected to become more serious in the future with the projected growth in the sector.
Hence, the officials said there is an urgent need to control the environmental risk of aviation, especially in the context of predicted future growth in traffic.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has issued a circular asking the airlines and non-scheduled aircraft operators to monitor the fuel consumption of their respective aircraft fleet on monthly basis and file the same to it.
The fuel consumption should take into account all aspects, including the fuel used during a flight, fuel consumed by the auxiliary power unit when the aircraft is stationary and any fuel that may be dumped during a flight, they said.
Fuel is dumped in the sky generally when the aircraft is trying to make a priority or an emergency landing and it has to shed weight.