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Radical new design needed for aircraft

While improved aircraft technology will be able to do much to reduce emissions, radical new innovation is needed if the aviation industry is to truly reduce its impact on the environment.

That's the opinion of researcher Alexander de Haan of Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Mr de Haan argues that new aircraft technology can contribute to sustainability in aviation.

However, in Mr de Haan's opinion, the rapid growth in aviation which is set to occur in the future means that radical new technologies will have to be developed to keep the industry from polluting.

In Mr de Hann's report, the scientist argues that radically different aircraft concept is needed. This will have to incorporate not only the expertise of the various technical disciplines, but also the behavioural disciplines and political aspects of aviation.

Recently, easyJet said that its new fleet of aircrafts would help it to cut emissions by 50 per cent by 2012.