---
title: "Understanding Contrails: initiatives and future perspectives| OpenAirlines"
description: Understand the complexities of contrails, from formation to regulation, and explore innovative solutions for reducing their environmental impact.
image: https://blog.openairlines.com/hubfs/contrails%20%E2%80%93%202.jpg
---
[](https://www.openairlines.com/)
- [Home](https://www.openairlines.com/)
- 360° eco-flying platform
- [SkyBreathe® Analytics – Fuel management software](https://www.openairlines.com/fuel-management-software/)
- [+ Emissions Report module](https://www.openairlines.com/fuel-management-software/report-co2-emissions/)
- [+ Advanced Trajectory module](https://www.openairlines.com/fuel-management-software/advanced-trajectory-module/)
- [SkyBreathe® MyFuelCoach – Pilot engagement app](https://www.openairlines.com/pilot-engagement-app/)
- [SkyBreathe® OnBoard – Real-time eco-flying app](https://www.openairlines.com/real-time-eco-flying-app/)
- [SkyBreathe® APM – Aircraft Performance Monitoring](https://www.openairlines.com/aircraft-performance-monitoring/)
- [SkyBreathe® OTP – On-time performance analysis](https://www.openairlines.com/on-time-performance-analysis/)
- Use Cases
- [SkyBreathe For CEO/CFO](https://www.openairlines.com/for-ceo-cfo/)
- [SkyBreathe For Head of Flights Ops & Chief Pilot](https://www.openairlines.com/for-head-of-flights-ops-chief-pilot/)
- [SkyBreathe For Pilots](https://www.openairlines.com/for-pilots/)
- [SkyBreathe For Fuel Managers & Ops Engineers](https://www.openairlines.com/for-fuel-managers-ops-engineers/)
- [Customers Stories](https://www.openairlines.com/customers/)
- Resources
- [Blog](https://blog.openairlines.com/)
- [White Papers](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/white-paper)
- [Case Studies](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/case-studies)
- [Webinars on fuel efficiency](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/upcoming-webinars)
- [Upcoming Tradeshows](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/tradeshow)
- [OpenAirlines Academy](https://academy.openairlines.com/?utm_campaign=23545222-Academy&utm_source=FuelEfficiencyBlog)
- Company
- [OpenAirlines Mission](https://www.openairlines.com/our-company/)
- [News](https://blog.openairlines.com/news)
- [Career - We are Hiring!](https://www.welcometothejungle.com/fr/companies/openairlines)
- [Sustainability Report](https://www.openairlines.com/sustainability-report/)
- [OpenDay](https://info.openairlines.com/openday2026)
- [Contact](https://www.openairlines.com/contact/)
[](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/4233951/5390e83d-eea4-4183-83a3-0f26b0324d37)
##### Blog
- [Latest articles](https://blog.openairlines.com)
- [Fuel Efficiency](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/fuel-efficiency)
- [Airline Experience](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/airline-experience)
- [Sustainability](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/environment)
- [Technology](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/technology)
- [News](https://blog.openairlines.com/news)
[Back to Blog](https://blog.openairlines.com)
# Understanding Contrails: initiatives and future perspectives
Published by [Pablo Santos](https://blog.openairlines.com/author/pablo-santos) on May 30, 2024, 3:37:37 PM
Have you ever wondered about those cloud-like trails left behind by aircraft? These formations are commonly known as contrails. Now, you might wonder, why the notoriety? After all, the sky is no stranger to clouds. So, what difference do a few additional clouds make?
As it turns out, quite a bit.
In this comprehensive two-part series, we will explore the fascinating world of contrails, from [their formation](https://blog.openairlines.com/what-are-contrails) to their environmental impact. By delving deeper into this topic, you will understand why contrails are increasingly gaining attention in the field of aviation and environmental science.
1. [Understanding contrails: formation, impact, and prevention.](https://blog.openairlines.com/what-are-contrails)
2. Understanding contrails: today's initiatives and future perspectives
[In part](https://blog.openairlines.com/what-are-contrails)[1](https://blog.openairlines.com/what-are-contrails), we reviewed the main factors of contrail formation, their impact, and the existing solutions. Now, let's review what the main stakeholders are doing on the topic to prepare for this new non-CO2 emission era.
| Summary - [Addressing the regulation of contrails](https://blog.openairlines.com/understanding-contrails-todays-initiatives-and-future-perspectives#adressing-regulation-contrails) - [What are the regulatory perspectives on contrails?](https://blog.openairlines.com/understanding-contrails-todays-initiatives-and-future-perspectives#regulatory-perspectives) - [Companies and initiatives studying contrails](https://blog.openairlines.com/understanding-contrails-todays-initiatives-and-future-perspectives#initiatives-studying-contrails) - [Future perspectives: Can contrail avoidance be possible?](https://blog.openairlines.com/understanding-contrails-todays-initiatives-and-future-perspectives#Contrail-avoidance) |
| --- |
## Addressing the regulation of contrails
Given the complexity of researching contrails, which span multiple disciplines, including meteorology, aircraft performance, thermodynamics, and data science, the level of uncertainty in this field is consequent.
This multidisciplinary nature underscores the critical role of regulators in facilitating the industry’s progress. Regulatory bodies need to promote an environment conducive to research and collaboration as well as promoting incentives to engage the private sector. Without such support and a framework that encourages innovation, effectively addressing this crucial aspect of aircraft emissions remains challenging.
## What are the regulatory perspectives on contrails?
### The European Union's ongoing actions on the regulation of contrails
The European Union (EU) seems to be the most invested regulatory body focusing on contrails. This stakeholder has already expressed its desire to include [non-CO2 emissions](https://climate.ec.europa.eu/news-your-voice/news/updated-analysis-non-co2-effects-aviation-2020-11-24_en), such as contrails, in the net-zero emissions goal of 2050. The organization understands the topic's indeterminacies but is also aware of the harmful impact of these cloud formations. And so, these uncertain elements won't stop them from monitoring contrails.
[Related content \>\>\> Fly Net-Zero 2050: how airlines use data to improve fuel efficiency?](https://blog.openairlines.com/fly-net-zero-2050-how-airlines-use-data-to-improve-fuel-efficiency)
Moreover, in its efforts on the subject, the organization proposed a Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) solution. It intends to develop the MRV IT solution during 2024 and start monitoring contrails in 2025.
The European Union wants to start the MRV as soon as possible. Still, they highlight that the solution will adapt to the latest industry models and advancements. The MRV will run between 2025 and 2026, after which results reviews and discussions regarding regulations will start. They trust the aviation industry's technology will be advanced enough to discuss regulations by then. The European Union insists on basing final decisions on trustworthy scientific information to guarantee well-informed decision-making.
### 
*Learn more about this MRV project here: [Non-CO2 MRV Kick-off Meeting - European Commission](https://climate.ec.europa.eu/document/download/b895f58d-0bdf-4ecb-b97a-d478c5b70b80_en?filename=event_20231201_presentation_en.pdf)*
### Other initiatives to study contrails
Other regulatory bodies are also tuned into the topic of contrails. In the United States, for example, major players like Boeing, [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/stem-content/contrails/), and the [Federal Aviation Administration](https://www.faa.gov/) (FAA) have teamed up for a long-term contrails research project. They are testing emissions using[Boeing's ecoDemonstrator](https://www.boeing.com/sustainability/environment/ecodemonstrator#technology-projects) as part of their collaborative efforts. This research project aims to understand better how the use of SAF impacts contrails.
However, as of now, there hasn't been any official discussion about future programs or regulations on the topic.
## Companies and initiatives studying contrails
In addition to studies and regulation initiatives, multiple exciting collaborative projects are being developed due to the notoriety of the topic.
These projects are filled with the expertise and advanced technologies required to delve into the intricacies of contrails. Let's take a closer look at one of these intriguing projects: [Project Contrails](https://sites.research.google/contrails).
[Google Research](https://sites.research.google/contrails/) and an [MIT](https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/2023-12/2023-11-07-contrails-conference-session-003-barrett-observational-contrail-avoidance.pdf) research lab are teaming up with [American Airlines](https://news.aa.com/news/news-details/2023/American-Airlines-participates-in-first-of-its-kind-research-on-contrail-avoidance-CORP-OTH-08/default.aspx) and [Delta Airlines](https://news.delta.com/deltas-latest-climate-collaboration-tackles-warming-contrails-mit), respectively. The big technology laboratories are developing a data-driven method to determine contrail's formation areas. Airlines provide them with their infield validation through flight experimentation to analyze the feasibility of operations avoiding the [Ice Super Saturated Regions (ISSRs)](https://blog.openairlines.com/what-are-contrails).
[Related content \>\> Understanding contrails: formation, impact, and prevention](https://blog.openairlines.com/what-are-contrails)
Google and MIT use satellite images to detect contrails and track their evolution. Nevertheless, there are still some limitations. There is a big complexity in assigning contrails to the aircraft that has produced them — a critical piece of information needed to determine under which conditions the formations are created.
The expected evolution of this technology combines the satellite’s information with data from on-ground cameras, which can provide information on the early stages of contrails where satellites cannot capture them.
*Figure 1. Contrails Explorer Satellite Image.
Source: [Google Contrails Explorer](https://contrails.webapps.google.com/main?latitude=38.911&longitude=-89.295&zoom=1.39&imagetype=cirrus&time=1712615353)*
The figure above, extracted from Google’s Contrail viewer, shows an example of what Google Research does with satellite imaging regarding contrails. Due to high-quality satellite image requirements, the area covered covers only the United States. Currently, only the images available from the satellite GOES-16 correspond to the high-quality standards needed for this project.
Another initiative we can point out is [Reviate](https://contrails.org/).
Reviate is carrying out research using physical models to compute contrails and is collaborating with many industry technology giants to improve and validate the model. They offer an[interactive map](https://map.contrails.org/) in which you can visualize the contrails computed by their model. This map allows you to select different aircraft to see what ISSRs they go through and what their contrail impact is.
*Figure 2. Contrails Map with the contrails heating in red.
Source: [Reviate contrail's map](https://map.contrails.org/)*
## Future perspectives: Can contrail avoidance be possible?
While this remains an open question, ongoing research, and technological advancements offer glimpses of hope for a future where contrails' problematics will be addressed.
### Banning flights over "climate-sensitive" regions to reduce contrail formations
One potential solution to minimize the impact of contrails on the climate is to ban flights over certain 'climate-sensitive' regions. This will allow flights to sidestep Ice Super Saturated Regions during specific times of the day when 'big hits' are more likely. However, this approach would pose a new challenge for Air Traffic Managers (ATMs) and could potentially reduce airspace availability.
The [MUAC](https://www.eurocontrol.int/article/reducing-impact-non-co2-climate-impact-eurocontrol-muac-and-dlr-partnering-contrail) has tested this method and found that while contrails were avoided, predicting ISSRs was trickier than anticipated.
Furthermore, during the Sustainable Skies Conference: Contrails in Focus event held by Eurocontrol, ATMs pointed out the intricate nature of Europe’s airspace and expressed concerns about introducing such new measures that would compromise safety.
For this solution to be successful and for ATMs to be reassured, the ISSR prediction must increase in precision. Predictions must be longer-term to allow collaboration between airlines and ATMs and to avoid further tactical operations requirements.
### Planning flight trajectory to avoid Ice Super Saturated Regions
Another alternative is for airlines to consider ISSRs during their flight planning and operations, with pilots actively avoiding these areas. However, this approach may not always be effective. If one aircraft avoids creating a contrail by steering clear of a certain area, but later another aircraft passes through the same region and forms a contrail, the initial avoidance effort may be in vain.
The complexity of this issue underscores the importance of collaboration in addressing the non-CO2 impact of contrails.
Pilots' workload is already high in managing delays, ensuring safety, and optimizing fuel efficiency during a flight. Adding the task of contrail avoidance could further burden their missions and pose a safety risk.
Therefore, it is crucial to introduce contrail-related operations slowly and with tools to help decision-makers automate these processes as much as possible.
---
## To sum up:
We see a complex dilemma with no easy solution. However, with stakeholders' collaboration and the development of new technologies, the industry is actively trying to find solutions to reduce the impact of contrails on the climate.
---
##### WANT TO LEARN MORE?
[Discover 5 ways to save fuel using in-flight connectivity \>\> Read the article](https://blog.openairlines.com/5-ways-to-reduce-fuel-burn-with-aircraft-connectivity)
[](https://blog.openairlines.com/5-ways-to-reduce-fuel-burn-with-aircraft-connectivity)
Tags: [Fuel efficiency](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/fuel-efficiency)
[Back to Blog](https://blog.openairlines.com)
[](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.openairlines.com/understanding-contrails-todays-initiatives-and-future-perspectives&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook) [](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https://blog.openairlines.com/understanding-contrails-todays-initiatives-and-future-perspectives&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&url=https://blog.openairlines.com/understanding-contrails-todays-initiatives-and-future-perspectives&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) [](http://www.instagram.com/share.php?u=https://blog.openairlines.com/understanding-contrails-todays-initiatives-and-future-perspectives&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram) [](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.openairlines.com/understanding-contrails-todays-initiatives-and-future-perspectives&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin) [](https://web.whatsapp.com)
## Related Articles
## [How to use big data and AI to improve your flight operations?](https://blog.openairlines.com/big-data-ai-improve-flight-operations)
Big data and Artificial Intelligence are nowadays at the heart of many industry revolutions,...
[Read More](https://blog.openairlines.com/big-data-ai-improve-flight-operations)
## [Decarbonizing Aviation: a book tackling aviation's greatest challenge](https://blog.openairlines.com/decarbonizing-aviation-mission-possible)
OpenAirlines and the GreenPilot movement are publishing “Decarbonizing Aviation Mission Possible,"...
[Read More](https://blog.openairlines.com/decarbonizing-aviation-mission-possible)
## [CORSIA implementation & best practices: V for Verification](https://blog.openairlines.com/corsia-mrv-verification)
Starting in 2019, every airline having international flights needs to monitor and report their...
[Read More](https://blog.openairlines.com/corsia-mrv-verification)
[](https://www.openairlines.com/)
EUROPE - HEADQUARTERS
31, rue Alsace Lorraine – 31000 Toulouse, France
ASIA
10 Floor, Guangdong Investement Tower
148 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong
AMERICAS
c/o Jade Fiducial 990 Biscayne Blvd Office
701 Miami, FL33132 USA
- SkyBreathe® Platform
- [SkyBreathe® Analytics – Fuel management software](https://www.openairlines.com/fuel-management-software/)
- [SkyBreathe® MyFuelCoach – Pilot engagement app](https://www.openairlines.com/pilot-engagement-app/)
- [SkyBreathe® OnBoard – Real-time eco-flying app](https://www.openairlines.com/real-time-eco-flying-app/)
- [SkyBreathe® APM – Aircraft Performance Monitoring](https://www.openairlines.com/aircraft-performance-monitoring/)
- [SkyBreathe® OTP – On-time performance analysis](https://www.openairlines.com/on-time-performance-analysis/)
- Use Cases
- [SkyBreathe® For CEO/CFO](https://www.openairlines.com/for-ceo-cfo/)
- [SkyBreathe® For Head of Flights Ops & Chief Pilot](https://www.openairlines.com/for-head-of-flights-ops-chief-pilot/)
- [For Fuel Managers & Operations Engineers](https://www.openairlines.com/for-fuel-managers-ops-engineers/)
- [SkyBreathe® For Pilots](https://www.openairlines.com/for-pilots/)
- [Customers Stories](https://www.openairlines.com/customers/)
- [Our Company](https://www.openairlines.com/our-company/)
- [Sustainability Report](https://www.openairlines.com/sustainability-report/)
- [Career](https://www.welcometothejungle.com/fr/companies/openairlines)
- [Contact](https://www.openairlines.com/contact/)
- Resources
- [Blog](https://blog.openairlines.com/)
- [White papers](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/white-paper)
- [Case Studies](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/case-studies)
- EVENTS
- [OpenDay](https://info.openairlines.com/openday)
- [Upcoming Webinars](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/upcoming-webinars)
- [Upcoming Trade Shows](https://blog.openairlines.com/tag/tradeshow)
### © Openairlines 2023 - All Rights Reserved
- [Privacy Policy](https://www.openairlines.com/privacy-policy/)
- [Cookies Policy](https://www.openairlines.com/cookies-policy/)
- [Site Map](https://www.openairlines.com/site-map/)
```json
{
"@context" : "https://schema.org",
"@type" : "BlogPosting",
"author" : {
"@type" : "Person",
"name" : "Pablo Santos",
"url" : "https://blog.openairlines.com/author/pablo-santos"
},
"dateModified" : "2024-08-05T12:24:02.003Z",
"datePublished" : "2024-05-30T13:37:37.000Z",
"headline" : "Understanding Contrails: initiatives and future perspectives",
"image" : [ "https://blog.openairlines.com/hubfs/contrails%20%E2%80%93%202.jpg" ],
"mainEntityOfPage" : {
"@id" : "https://blog.openairlines.com/understanding-contrails-todays-initiatives-and-future-perspectives",
"@type" : "WebPage"
},
"publisher" : {
"@type" : "Organization",
"logo" : {
"@type" : "ImageObject",
"url" : "https://blog.openairlines.com/hubfs/Blog-illustration/Logo.png"
},
"name" : "Nextops OpenAirlines"
}
}
```