Every Day is Earth Day at WingTips.
WingTips is doing it’s part in helping to reduce carbon emissions — 365 days a year.
During a recent team meeting, we discussed upcoming events for April; one of which was a cooperative marketing effort with Bermuda Dunes Airport promoting flights for the Music Festival in Palm Springs. Among the promotional items we agreed to provide, we decided to offer a complimentary bottle of water to all Bermuda Dunes Airport guests, both in the airport and on flights.
That led us to search for a water bottle distributor. There were many providers, but when we discovered Paper Water Bottle®, which offers a 98% landfill-biodegradable water bottle, there was no question this was the route we would take (no pun intended!). They are a bit more expensive than your typical water bottle, but considering they are made of compostable materials, and since WingTips is grounded in the belief that we have an obligation to do our part in protecting the environment, sustainability won out over the cost.
“At WingTips we are all passionate about the role we play in taking care of our planet. We are continuously strategizing ways in which we can contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions.“
— Lynsey Martin, Business Relations Manager
Our conversation then led us to Earth Day.
I was familiar with Earth Day, but only at a high level. So, the research geek in me needed to know more. That’s when I discovered the roots of the event. The US was still growing a lot in the 1960s and into the 1970s. The rest of the world was starting to recover from World War II, but it was the industrial base of the US that was the leading supplier of products to the world. But this was at a price…to the environment. Earth Day was a protest moment designed to get attention to the growing impact on the environment; much of which was pollution from a plant ending up in a river that poisons wildlife.
When sharing what I learned with my team, it sparked a conversation not at all unfamiliar to us. ‘How it is important for WingTips to do our part in helping protect the environment’ – not just through biodegradable water bottles and not just on Earth Day – but through short- and long-term strategies that will reduce carbon emissions 365 days a year. So, in honor of this day, I thought I’d share ‘why’ it’s important to us and ‘what’ we’re doing now and plan to do in the future.
The WHY.
One of my philosophies is to view things from the perspective of human flourishing and stewardship. To me, stewardship is how we enable people to be free, experience life, and pursue their destinies. It’s this philosophy that encourages me to continuously find the balance between creating products and services that are important to mankind while factoring in the external costs of these products and services.
We know the transportation sector is the largest source of emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2, the most common greenhouse gas) in the United States. Transportation includes everything from cars, trucks, railways, and airplanes used to move people and goods from place to place. As I’ve read many perspectives on how to address this problem, two extreme scenarios have been discussed:
Stop all travel completely, I have seen this presented as an option to eliminate CO2, but think about the lost connections, experiences, accomplishments, and joy that would result from not being able to travel. Not an option.
Not worry about the impact to the environment from our activities. Again, not an option.
“The right answer is in the middle and requires a lot more thought, debate, and execution to achieve.”
— Mike Azzarello, CEO & Founder, WingTips
As consumer demand for air travel continues to increase, we must demonstrate our carbon emission reduction commitment in new and innovative ways. The aviation industry's carbon emission reduction plans are primarily driven by fuel and technology innovations. Our plans include adopting new technology and making conscious choices across all areas of our operation.
The WHAT.
Coming up with ways to reduce emissions from fossil fuels and methods to adapt to potential changes in climate caused by human influence makes us think about big problems and big solutions. The solution is all about balance – balancing the interests of humans with our impact on our environment. That’s the foundation I built WingTips on.
Our goal at WingTips is to provide regional trips so travelers can get to their destination much faster and more conveniently than driving or taking a commercial flight – while also being mindful of the resources being used. Here are just a few of the things we’re doing, now and into the future, to achieve a balance between the two:
A Single Regional Flight Takes 8 Cars Off the Road.
Aircraft used by WingTips typically seat eight passengers. So, one flight removes eight cars from the road. But the offset is more significant than just eight cars. With a full flight, the amount of fuel (Jet-A for WingTips, gasoline for autos) comes in about the same if each passenger drove their own car and averaged 20 mpg.
But, now let’s look at the time element. If the trip length is 250 miles, the drivers in the eight cars each spend five hours of time, a total of 40 hours of travel time, one way. The eight passengers spend about one hour, a total of 8 hours of travel time for all the passengers. This is the core value of WingTips, dramatically reducing the time it takes to get to where you really want to be. While the fuel is about the same, the human benefits are substantial when flying WingTips.
Hybrid- and Full-Electric Flights.
Moving toward operating more eco-friendly aircraft is part of our plan to cut both travel time and emissions with these new aircraft. Both hybrid electric and full electric aircraft are long-term drivers for making WingTips flights more efficient.
That’s what lead me to Ampaire, a Hybrid Electric Aircraft Powerplant company. While Ampaire is focused on electrified aircraft, they also understand thermodynamics and made the decision to pursue hybrid electric powerplants for aircraft. The result is they are likely to be first to market with a certified next-generation powerplant that provides operators like WingTips with a functional upgrade, reducing our operating costs, while also reducing emissions by almost 80% in some flight profiles.
Suffice it to say, we now have an agreement with Ampaire for aircraft. We have secured an order for five of Ampaire's latest Eco Caravan aircraft which will provide WingTips with a nine-passenger aircraft, flying at 175 mph, using a fraction of the fuel a normal Cessna Caravan uses. Besides the fuel savings, there is a reduction in maintenance and overhaul costs, which helps deliver a premier travel option to clients without the high price tag.
Reduce the Repositioning of Flights.
The ability to reduce the number of repositioning flights, which are flights to move the aircraft from one destination to another with no passengers, is a current example. Every repositioned flight pains me, not just because it costs money but because it is an aircraft with no passengers on board. While it is unlikely we can get to zero repositioning of flights, we have proven we can greatly reduce them. And in the next version of WingTips software, we make these flights available to our clients. Clients can share their “wish list” of flights in WingTips and then be notified when one is available. So, if the aircraft has to move, at least someone is getting the benefit of that flight.
WingTips is a Remote-First Operation.
The positive impact of remote work on the environment is significant and lasting. Team members are not driving to a central office location to work. Commuting is the largest cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the US (90% comes from personal vehicles), it’s easy to see the potential positive impact that remote work could have on the environment. In fact, in 2020, as most businesses started to operate remotely, carbon dioxide emissions from transportation were reduced by 15%.
"WingTips is not only doing its part to conserve the environment, but is also contributing to a better, cleaner, and more sustainable future for all.”
— Cat Tomayo, Concierge Service Representative
As simple as a water bottle for passengers on our flights – to complex powerplants – to advanced Physics algorithms, WingTips continues to pursue a future in which we are a good steward of the environment while also helping humans flourish.
Our collective efforts will have a significant impact once we hit our targets, with upwards of one million passengers a year across thousands of flights.
“I take pride in knowing our actions at WingTips are helping to reduce the impact of air travel on our environment. By implementing eco-friendly practices in our day-to-day operations, we are doing everything we can for today and future generations of air travel.”
— Zena Malike, Concierge Service Representative
WingTips is onto something big.
And you can be a part of it. Contact Mike to learn more about WingTips’ investment opportunities, or click here.