Miller Planning Environmental Aviation Conference In May

Michael Miller, a self-described "nationally known" aviation expert, will launch a new Maitland-based aviation consulting company in the next 30 days called Green Skies Inc. It will focus on helping the aviation industry become more environmentally friendly, according to the Orlando Business Journal. Miller also plans to host what he bills as the first-ever environmental aviation conference in Orlando in May.

"This is the place to do it -- Orlando has strong environmental leadership, which a lot of our large cities don't have," says 42-year-old Miller, a partner in Velocity Group, an international aviation consulting firm.

Miller was impressed with a recent environmental summit held by Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty and the fact that Orlando International Airport (MCO) is using hybrid hydrogen buses to transport people to satellite parking lots.

Now is the right time for the conference, according to Miller, who says that environmental awareness is at an all time high. "Europe is more advanced than North America when it comes to environmental responsibility," said Miller.

"There are new European emissions rules taking effect soon that some people want to make mandatory on a global basis."

"We either can be responsible now or wait until something is mandated worldwide," said Miller. Miller is a former editor of the trade publications Aviation Daily and Airline Financial News, and frequently appears on CNN, CNBC, ABC, Fox, NBC, CBS and the BBC concerning aviation issues. The conference will focus on getting the aviation community in North America in line with environment issues. There will be analysis of environmentally responsible aviation companies and a real-time poll of conference attendees on environmental issues. An effort also will be made to produce a best-practices guide for aviation companies.

"We need to look at things such as purchases and the design and technologies that take into account the life-cycle of products," Miller says. "The whole industry needs to work together." Miller's move is timely as the aviation community increasingly will have to respond to environmental issues in the coming years, says Eileen Denne, spokeswoman for Airport Councils International -North America in Washington, D.C.

"It will be one of the priorities for [the organization] in 2008," said Denne with the U.S. branch of Switzerland based ACI that represents 180 airports and airport authorities, plus 400 associated members in the United States and Canada. Orlando International points out the local airport's current layout was developed with the environment in mind back in 1981, according to spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell.

The airport also uses an underground system to fuel aircraft instead of fueling tankers, which reduces fumes and spillage. It also employs a staff biologist who works on wildlife management on the airport's 14,000 acres.

Officials for Orlando Sanford International Airport (KSFB, mapped to the right) also does much to be environmentally responsible, including wildlife management and energy conservation programs. Two biofuel manufacturing companies are interested in setting up businesses at the airport. One has signed a lease and a second is about to, says Diane Crews, vice president of administration for the Sanford Airport Authority.

FMI: www.orlandoairports.net/, www.velocitygroupinc.com/, www.orlandosanfordairport.com/