CAMX 2020’s General Session on September 22 looked a bit different this year, as the conference went virtual due to COVID-19. It’s no secret that the pandemic has changed the way we live and work – and things are no different at airliner manufacturer Airbus.
“Many things have changed in the last nine months for all of us,” said Isabell Gradert, CAMX 2020’s General Session Keynote Speaker. Gradert serves as the Material Fast Track Leader at Airbus and general advisor for materials technology to the CTO. Throughout the pandemic, Airbus has used their aircraft to collect masks from China, help bring citizens back home, and transport patients, Gradert told attendees.
COVID-19 may have changed things for Airbus, but it hasn’t changed their mission to pioneer more sustainable aerospace. “We believe there will be no industry profit without climate protection,” Gradert said. “Preserving our planet is not a ‘nice to have’ but rather a prerequisite for sustainable growth of the aviation industry.”
Gradert also pointed to the organization’s track record on reducing CO2 emissions: since the 1970s, Airbus has been able to reduce these emissions by 80%. The Airbus A350 offers a 25% reduction in fuel burn and the A320 offers a 20% reduction.
