Shhh… Higher, Quieter, Greener: How “Project Brut” is Set to Change the Skies Over Palma

Friday, February 20th, 2026

If you have flown into Palma de Mallorca recently, you may have noticed the striking turquoise waters around the island as your aircraft descends. Yet while passengers enjoy this scenic approach to Palma de Mallorca Airport, many residents living beneath the flight paths are often severely affected by the noise generated by arriving aircraft.

To address this issue and reduce the carbon footprint of the hundreds of flights that take off and land in Palma each day, a major initiative known as Project Brut has been launched. By redesigning the airspace around the island, the project aims to make flying quieter for local communities while significantly reducing aviation’s environmental impact.

What is Project Brut?

Managed by the air navigation service provider ENAIRE, Project Brut is a comprehensive overhaul of how aircraft arrive at and depart from the island. Officially published in the State Gazette (BOE) on the 22nd of January 2026, the plan is currently in its public consultation phase and will be rolled out in stages until 2028.

The goal is twofold: using 21st-century technology to move planes away from rooftops and “straightening the roads” in the sky to slash carbon emissions.

Precision in the Skies: Slashing Noise and Fuel Burn

So, how do you make a jet engine quieter and cleaner at the same time? The answer lies in changing the “geometry” of how aircraft fly. At its core, Project Brut is about “straightening the roads in the sky”. When aircraft follow shorter, smoother and more predictable routes, they burn less fuel, produce fewer emissions and generate less noise for people on the ground.

Modern airspace redesigns based on Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) have been shown to cut fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions by up to 10–15% per flight, although this figure may not always be achievable. But, regardless of the exact CO₂ reduction for each flight, when applied across the airport’s more than 240,000 annual movements, the environmental benefits for flights to Palma de Mallorca are substantial. Here’s how Project Brut aims to deliver those gains:

Shorter, More Direct Flight Paths

Under the old system, aircraft were required to follow fixed routes dictated by ground-based radio beacons. These were often longer and less efficient than a direct line, much like driving along a winding B-road instead of a straight motorway.

The change:
PBN satellite navigation allows true point-to-point flying. Shaving just a few miles off each arrival and departure adds up to thousands of tonnes of fuel saved every year.

Eliminating the Holding Stack

When airports are busy, aircraft are frequently placed in holding patterns. This could mean circling in the sky while waiting to land or, as is common at Palma Airport, directing aircraft on longer paths. This is highly carbon-intensive, as the aircraft is burning fuel without making progress.

The change:
The precision of Project Brut improves predictability. Air traffic controllers can sequence aircraft much earlier, enabling them to arrive at the runway at exactly the right time, without the need to circle overhead or fly longer routes.

Interested to know how this works in more detail? Click here for further info.

Using traditional methods, when Palma Airport gets busy, air traffic controllers have to manage a “queue” once planes arrive near the island. This often results in Holding Stacks: aircraft flying in circles over the Mediterranean or being sent on long, winding “scenic routes” just to waste time before landing.

Project Brut changes this by moving from a reactive system to a proactive one. Here is how “earlier sequencing” actually happens:

• The “Slow Down” instruction: Rather than letting a plane fly at full speed only to make it circle for 10 minutes over Mallorca, controllers can “pre-sort” traffic hundreds of miles away. A pilot flying from London or Berlin might be asked to reduce their speed by just a few knots while still over France. By slowing down early, the plane arrives at the runway at the exact moment a “slot” is free, avoiding the need to circle.
• The “Zip-Merge” effect: Using new satellite technology, controllers use a “Merge Point” system. Imagine several lanes of traffic joining a motorway; instead of stop-start congestion, the new system allows planes to “zip-merge” smoothly onto their final approach.
• Waiting on the tarmac, not in the air: If Palma is exceptionally busy, the system can even delay a plane’s departure at its original airport by a few minutes. It is far more fuel-efficient (and better for the environment) to wait on the ground with the engines off than to burn fuel idling in the skies over the Balearics.

The result? A “metronome” effect where planes arrive with rhythmic precision. This doesn’t just reduce delays; it ensures that your flight can perform that “continuous glide” (see below) to the runway, saving fuel and reducing aircraft noise.

Continuous Descent Operations: The ‘Idle’ Glide

Continuous Descent Operations (CDO) are not just quieter; they are one of the biggest carbon savers. Instead of descending in noisy, fuel-hungry steps, where pilots must add thrust to maintain level flight, aircraft follow a smooth, uninterrupted glide path.

The result:
Engines remain at near-idle for far longer, reducing fuel burn during descent by an average of 25–40%, while keeping aircraft higher for longer over residential areas, thus reducing noise levels on the ground.

Faster, Greener Climbs

Project Brut also reshapes departures through Continuous Climb Operations (CCO). Aircraft burn the most fuel during the initial climb, particularly when levelling off in dense, low-altitude air.

The change:
By allowing aircraft to climb continuously to their optimal cruising altitude, engines work less hard, drag is reduced, and CO₂ emissions fall significantly.

In a nutshell, by redesigning how aircraft move through the sky, Project Brut is set to deliver tangible benefits for both local communities and the planet.

The Night Flight Debate

While Project Brut is a leap forward, it arrives amidst a growing conversation about night-time flying. Unlike several major European hubs, such as Frankfurt, Munich, or Zurich, Palma currently has no ban on flights between 11 pm and 6 am.

Local associations have recently stepped up their calls for a “night-time curfew“, citing noise levels in bedrooms that can exceed 70 decibels. While a ban is currently not in place, the efficiency gains and quieter “gliding” arrivals from Project Brut are seen as a vital step in mitigating the impact on residents’ health and their right to rest.

A Greener Way to Fly: The Path to Net Zero

This project is also a perfect partner to airport operator Aena’s ambitious goal of reaching Net Zero by 2030.

Last year, we reported on Palma Airport earning its Level 4 Carbon Accreditation, marking a massive transformation in how the airport manages its footprint. By streamlining flight paths, Project Brut acts as the “missing piece” in the sustainability puzzle, reducing aircrafts’ carbon footprint to match the green improvements being made on the ground.

What’s Next?

The transition to this new airspace model will continue through 2028. For passengers, it means a more efficient journey with fewer delays; for the environment and residents, it promises reduced noise levels and a much-needed breath of fresh air.

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