New Methodology for Modeling Annual‐Aircraft Emissions at Airports

An as‐accurate‐as‐possible estimation of total‐aircraft emissions are an essential component of any environmental‐impact assessment done for proposed expansions at major airports. To determine the amount of emissions generated by aircraft using present models it is necessary to know the emission characteristics of all engines that are on all planes using the airport. However, the published data base does not cover all engine types and, therefore, a new methodology is needed to assist in estimating annual emissions from aircraft at airports. Linear regression equations relating quantity of emissions to aircraft weight using a known‐fleet mix are developed in this paper. Total‐annual emissions for $\mathrm{CO}$, ${\mathrm{NO}}_x$, NMHC, ${\mathrm{SO}}_x$, ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$, and $N_{2}O$ are tabulated for Toronto's international airport for 1990. The regression equations are statistically significant for all emissions except for NMHC from large jets and ${\mathrm{NO}}_x$ and NMHC for piston‐engined aircraft. This regression model is a relatively simple, fast, and inexpensive method of obtaining an annual‐emission inventory for an airport.