Responsible Initiatives for a Sustainable Environment
With the ‘RISE’ -project we aim to reduce the ecological footprint of our company and thus contribute to a cleaner, healthier world."
At ASL Group, we are constantly working on new projects to expand our business and to offer our clients innovative travel solutions. Like many other companies and airlines, we want to contribute to a sustainable and healthy future, both socially and ecologically. “We realize that flying is not and never will be climate-neutral. CO2 offsetting is an important step for climate change, but it is not the solution. That’s why we want to intensify our actions to reduce the ecological footprint of our airline. This is where the ambitious ‘RISE’ project originated from.
What exactly does the ‘RISE’ project entail?
The ASL Group is planning to offset the CO2 emissions of its aircraft in the future by investing money in ecological projects. As our ambitions extend further and we want to contribute more in the field of ecologically responsible entrepreneurship, the RISE project arose. It stands for ‘Responsible Initiatives for a Sustainable Environment’ and includes a number of concrete measures and actions to reduce the ecological footprint of our airline. For example, plastic will no longer be used on board of our aircraft and the waste streams will be separated more effectively and selectively. We will also invest in sustainable and preferably fair trade products on board, such as food, drinks and personal care products.
In addition, our aircraft will gradually switch to a new type of greener fuel, called Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) - this is a multi-year plan. Additionally, a number of fuel-saving measur es will soon be introduced during flights, such as single-engine taxiing or even more efficient flight paths.
A wonderful and ambitious project!
Sure, we are very proud that we will soon be able to launch it ‘of ficially’. But of course we couldn’t manage this on our own. We collaborated with an excellent partner, the Dutch company Climate Neutral Group.
For fifteen years t hey have been working on tackling the climate problem and stimulating climate-neutral entrepreneurship. These people assist us in a structured way in our gradual transition to climate neutrality.
Based on an analysis of the processes responsible for our airline’s CO2 emissions, they have drawn up a roadmap and a number of green ‘key performance indicators’ to reduce these emissions. This allows us to continuously evaluate and adjust our actions and efforts. By doing so, we hope to make a meaningful contribution to a sustainable future and a healthier world with the ‘RISE’ project.
RISE is a company-wide project which encompasses a wide range of specific action plans, primarily aimed at:
1. Limiting, reducing, where possible, and offsetting the remaining CO2 emissions generated by the company activities;
2. Reducing the amount of waste generated by the company activities;
3. Using socially responsible, ecological and fair trade products on board its aircraft;
4. Promoting local producers and local suppliers for the deliveries of goods and consumables;
5. Implementing waste-sorting and energy saving measures throughout the company's premises as well as on board its aircraft;
6. Promoting the use of sustainable energy and sustainable aviation fuel when commercially available.
One of the concrete goals of the RISE project is to take our responsibility and offset the remaining CO2 emissions generated by the company's global activities (both in the air and on the ground), in addition to obligations of the ongoing global ICAO CORSIA program and European EU-ETS (Emission Trading System)
CO2 Offsetting - Climate Neutral Group
To this end, ASL Group has established a long-term strategic partnership with the Dutch company Climate Neutral Group, one of the longest established and most recognized providers of carbon management and offsetting services in the market. Climate Neutral Group carried out a complete audit of ASL Group's activities in order to determine its global CO2 footprint. A first CO2 compensation plan was already implemented by ASL Group on all the flights carried out by ASL Fly Executivebetween Brussels and Ibiza during the Summer of 2020.
“ASL Group is planning to offset the CO2 emissions resulting from the company’s flights and activities in the future by investing in specific ecological projects, in partnership with Climate Neutral Group. As our ambitions extend further and we want to contribute mor e in the field of ecologically responsible entrepreneurship, the RISE project arose. It includes a number of concrete measures and actions to reduce the ecological footprint of our company. For example, plastic will no longer be used on board of our aircraft and the waste streams will be separated more effectively and selectively. We will also invest in sustainable and preferably fair trade products on board, such as food, drinks and personal care products. In addition, We will start looking at new types of greener fuel called SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) for our aircraft and evaluate whether these can be used progressively, in replacement of the standard aviation fuel that is currently being used. Additionally, we are also looking at a number of fuel-saving measures which could be introduced during flights, such as single-engine taxiing or even mor e efficient flight paths” explains Annelie Ninaber van Eijben.
Business aviation and sustainability
Business Aviation has always been at the forefront of improving its sustainability practices and creating a greener future for the wider transport sector as a whole.The Business aviation community is working towards a more sustainable future in different ways. Business aviation has the ability to connect remote regions and communities, bringing economic development to places otherwise inaccessible. The industry is also dedicated towards reducing its environmental impact through the use of technology, infrastructure and operational improvements, alternative fuels, and market-based measures.
Pipistrel Velis Electro
18/12/2021 - "We unveiled our two latest acquisitions, two Pipistrel Velis Electro electric planes"
Registered respectively OO-GRN and OO-ELC. They are “the only ones certified in the world” and are presented for the first time in Belgium. They will be used at the ASL Academy for training of young pilot students. Philippe Bodson, CEO of ASL Group explains that these planes, which cost nearly 200,000 euros, can only fly for one hour on a full battery, but that is enough to train young pilots in basic manoeuvres. But above all, it emphasizes our ambitions in search of sustainable aviation. Additionally, these aircraft will be operated from a brand new General Aviation Terminal in Liege; a building equipped with numerous ecological innovations. "
Lilium EVTOL
19/01/2022 - ASL Group selects Lilium to provide sustainable air mobility to its customers
ASL Group has signed an agreement with Lilium N.V., developer of the first all-electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) jet, to provide sustainable air mobility to its customers in Benelux. The Group intends to purchase an initial 6 Lilium Jets and will cooperate with them to develop a network of landing sites in the Benelux.
“We are already the owner of the first electric aircraft in Belgium and will now replenish our fleet with the Lilium Jets”, says Philippe Bodson (owner and CEO of ASL Group). “Our company is constantly seeking new ways to operate responsibly and contribute to a healthy future, both socially and ecologically. The Lilium Jet is a great opportunity to provide better value to our customers in a sustainable way. With zero operating emissions, vertical take-off landing capability and a spacious premium cabin, Lilium represents the best option on the market.”
Between 2015 en 2020, Lilium has had its five-seater eVTOL prototypes in the air and the jet conducted over 100 manned and unmanned flights. The new seven-seater jet will range up to 280 kilometers, which might be enough to get passengers from one side of Belgium to the other or travel around in the BeNeLux. Besides one pilot, the Lilium is able to fly three passengers in 'club mode', six passengers in a traditional configuration or can be used as a short-haul freighter when stripped of seating.
Vaeridion
16/08/2023 - Cooperation Agreement with Vaeridion to provide sustainable air mobility for the business aviation sector
Vaeridion GmbH, a Munich based company that is accelerating the green transformation of aviation with a small electric aircraft that will be certified and delivered before 2030, and ASL Group, have signed a cooperation agreement to realize commercial battery electric flight this decade, leveraging ASL's extensive operational experience, network and knowledge combined with VÆRIDION’s cutting edge technology, aircraft design and analysis tools.
"ASL Group aims to be at the forefront of sustainable aviation developments. Amongst others we were the first to operate fully electric Pipistrel training aircraft in Belgium and we continuously look for ways to further reduce our ecological footprint. Our collaboration with Vaeridion will contribute to making electric flying a reality in an important segment of our business activity, namely short-haul trips in the four to nine seater aircraft segment." Philippe Bodson - Chief Executive Officer - ASL Group
“Today’s business aviation sector is under large pressure to become more sustainable but has also always been an early adopter of new technology. We believe that business aviation will be among the first to adopt electric flight. Joining forces with one of Europe’s leading business aviation operators - ASL Group - will enable us to bring the Microliner design forward, leveraging ASL’s operational know-how and understanding of the passenger’s needs.” Ivor van Dartel – Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer - VÆRIDION
The cooperation is intended to create synergies between the manufacturer and possible future operator of battery-electric microliners. The foreseeable Market Size for eCTOL aircraft will range from 5.000 to 10.000 aircraft by 2040.
