Recording fuel consumption, retrofitting fuel-injected piston engines and polishing aircraft are among fuel-efficiency tips recommended to tourism flight operators.
The recommendations came from a stocktake to reduce fuel consumption and improve profit margins as part of the Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme, a partnership between the Tourism Industry Association and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority.
Real Journeys, Air Safaris, Glenorchy Air, Aoraki Mt Cook Skiplanes, Helicopter Line, Sounds Air and Volcanic Air Safaris participated in the stocktake last year, with a total of 48 aircraft.
The programme reported fuel was typically at least 50% of operating costs for tourist aviation companies.
Real Journeys started manually recording fuel consumption and posting the results and made a fuel savings of 2%, reducing its annual fuel consumption by 4000 litres, worth $6800.
