Business aviation aircraft could participate in a major new Google-backed contrail reduction trial over the North Atlantic, placing private jets within an operational program designed to explore how relatively small altitude changes could reduce aviation’s climate impact.

Operation Blue Skies is a £5 million, 30-month program involving Google, the UK Department for Transport, NATS, the Met Office, Imperial College London, the University of Cambridge and Contrails.org. Testing will take place within NATS-controlled Shanwick oceanic airspace.

Google has confirmed that the program is not restricted to scheduled airlines. Private aircraft operating through the relevant airspace could also be directed to make altitude adjustments during trial periods through normal air traffic control procedures.

Artificial intelligence models will be used to identify atmospheric conditions where minor flight-level changes have the greatest potential to prevent persistent contrail formation.

Operational testing is planned primarily during winter periods in 2026-27 and 2027-28, with approximately 20 to 40 trial days expected during each winter.

While researchers do not expect significant disruption to business aviation, the project could provide valuable evidence about whether contrail avoidance can become a practical component of future flight planning and air traffic management.

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