Introducing green life cycle management in the civil aviation industry: the state-of-the-art and the future

Life cycle management offers a holistic view of the design, development, operation, and decommissioning phases of all transport system components. Considering the general needs for an optimal balance between growth and environmental sustainability in air transportation, this paper introduces the concept of green life cycle management. The study implements a systems engineering approach, aiming to extend the knowledge-base of systems engineering and sustainable aviation, and providing critical insights into the application of the former and the implementation of the latter. Hence, the W methodology is proposed, being the first of its kind that links system design to a series of tests that simultaneously encompass verification, validation and environmental impact assessments. The methodology is validated through a case study of San Francisco International Airport, concluding that through its correct implementation, future developments can significantly improve the environmental sustainability of the aviation sector.