AVIATOR has adopted a multi-level measurement, modelling and assessment approach to develop an improved description and quantification of relevant aircraft engine emissions, and their impact on air quality under different climatic conditions. The project has developed improved guidance on measuring and modelling the impact of aircraft emissions with specific reference to Ultra Fine Particles (UFP). Furthermore, and acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding health impacts of UFP, AVIATOR has also worked with the public health community to develop methodologies for the representative sampling of aircraft emissions.

The AVIATOR project has a rich dataset, founded from the multi-level measurement, modelling and assessment approach. The analysis of this dataset is far from complete, and new insights into the physical and chemical characteristics of aircraft engine emissions, together with advanced models of their impact on local air quality under different climatic conditions are foreseen as tangible outcomes from the project. Led by the academic members of the consortium, all findings and outcomes from the AVIATOR project will be published in scientific journals.

Furthermore, AVIATOR findings will continue to be disseminated within the regulatory process through the SAE E31 committee and the ICAO CAEP. Several AVIATOR experts are actively involved in SAE E31 work groups (Particle Matter (PM) subcommittee and Uncertainty team) as well as CAEP working groups (Modelling and Databases Group (MDG) and emissions technical (WG3)), including the European WG3 co-rapporteur. These linkages will ensure that AVIATOR outcomes continue to guide improvements to existing regulations and the development of future standards and corrections. For example, AVIATOR outcomes are being used by regulatory bodies such as EASA in the framework of SAMPLE IV project with the objective to improve the ICAO Annex 16 Volume II engine emissions sampling and measurement requirements for Non-Volatile Particle Matter (nvPM) mass and number through more robust practices. In addition, the data sets resulting from the various measurement campaigns in AVIATOR provide a sound base for further developments in modelling aircraft exhaust dispersion and the dynamics of ultrafine particles. Eventually, some of them may serve as a “gold standard” for the validation and harmonization of modelling.