As outlined above, airlines are leading the way in establishing the public-private partnerships (PPPs) critical to protecting our environment and at the same time, encouraging economic growth and competition. The two objectives can and should go hand in hand. Airlines for America (A4A) and its member companies work regularly with government agencies, from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to the Department of Defense (DOD), to form partnerships that leverage technological advances and increase environmental efficiency. The Boeing-American Airlines-FAA partnership behind the ecoDemonstrator plane is just the latest example.

The Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuel Initiative® (CAAFI), jointly founded by A4A, FAA, the airports and aircraft and engine manufacturers back in 2006, has paved the way for revisions to the jet fuel specification and helped overcome other hurdles to the development and deployment of sustainable alternative aviation fuels. Other initiatives have pushed other important levers. For example, earlier this year, A4A joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Boeing Company in publishing the blueprint from our “Farm to Fly” initiative, which is devoted to developing and enhancing sustainable feedstock opportunities for aviation biofuels while advancing opportunities for our nation’s farmers and rural communities. From the feedstock to the fuel standards, a great deal of collaboration is necessary to ensure the right balance is struck. A4A has also been supportive of the DOD efforts to find alternative fuel sources for its vast fleets and resources through our Strategic Alliance with the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency and other initiatives with the U.S. military. As the largest oil-consuming government body in the United States and in the world, the DOD recognizes that alternative fuel sources are essential to enhancing energy security, reducing costs and environmental impacts. A4A shares and supports DOD’s goal of establishing a secure energy future for the sake of our national security, our economy and environment.

The airlines’ support for the business-case-based implementation of Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is another great example. Working with the FAA, A4A has been helping make the case for NextGen around the country. Next Gen will further reduce delays and, has the added benefit of saving fuel and reducing emissions as aircraft are trafficked more efficiently. Just last month, the FAA announced a partnership with A4A member JetBlue to begin phasing in NextGen technology in six Florida communities. According to the FAA, this initiative alone will save over 8 million gallons of fuel annually. When fully implemented NextGen could help save more than 1.4 billion gallons of fuel over the next decade. A4A’s National Airline Policy prioritizes smart implementation of NextGen because it benefits passengers, the economy, and the environment.

Public-private partnerships should be focused on finding ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency. When they do, as they have with the airlines, they are absolutely a win-win for industry and most important, customers. The airlines are proudly ahead of the curve in using the PPP model to find a cleaner, more cost effective way to operate.

Having been involved with this process in one way or another for going on 25 years, I think there is no question to anyone involved that sustainability and environmental friendliness are fundamental and essential elements of smarter transportation. In looking at other transportation areas, better traveler and routing information will increase mass transit ridership, reducing the use of personal vehicles and more efficient use of trains and bused. The ability to predict and proactively intervene to reduce highway delays will both reduce point source emissions and decrease the fuel expenditures required for both passengers and freight. Better intelligence will make it easier to find parking, drivers searching for spaces estimated to cause about 30% of downtown congestion. Finally, information and analytics around the infrastructure to support hybrid, electric, alternative fuels or other eco-friendly modes of transport will help curb carbon emissions. Whether aviation, mass transit, or road traffic, public-private partnerships will be essential. Combining industry resources with government resources has the potential to more quickly impact the environment and livability of cities.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are a key part of the aviation’s efforts to develop and commercialize progressive, environmentally efficient technology – and they work because they do advance the goals of both regulators and industry. The 2012 ecoDemonstrator is the just the latest in a long series of successful PPPs.

In the early 2000s, Boeing partnered with NASA to pioneer acoustically treated engine inlet barriers and saw-toothed chevrons around engine exhausts, which helped quiet the 787 Dreamliner and 747-8. Similarly, Boeing is working with working with government and multiple partners including airlines, researchers, biofuel companies as well as NGOs, to help make advanced generation biofuels a commercially viable, regionally sustainable source of jet fuel.

As our economy evolves and ever-more technological advances are needed to meet regulatory goals and keep American companies at the forefront of aviation, these partnerships will play an increasing role in America’s economic development.