4Air, a sustainability rating programme dedicated to private aviation that launched in January 2021, is partnering with Clay Lacy Aviation to offer a sustainability rating to Clay Lacy aircraft while also certifying the company's facilities in Oxford, Connecticut; Van Nuys, California; San Diego, California; Seattle, Washington; and Orange County, California, as carbon-neutral, and awarding its facilities a 4Air rating for 2020. 4Air will validate the carbon offsets, reductions generated from Clay Lacy's use of solar energy, and affirm the company's commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its facilities and flying activities for 2020 and in the future.

Founded in 1968, Clay Lacy Aviation offers aircraft management, charter, maintenance, avionics, interiors, aircraft cleaning and FBO services. In 2020, it developed a comprehensive sustainability programme in order to reduce the company's carbon footprint. It seeks both to reduce the carbon footprint of Clay Lacy Aviation facilities and provide the company's clients with a simple way to reduce the impact of their flying activity.

“We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint in a responsible manner, doing the right thing and making it easier for our clients to do the same,” says Scott Cutshall, senior VP of business operations. “4Air's validation of our efforts provides further confidence in the actions we are taking, ensuring the transparency of every carbon credit retired, confirming the positive impact of our adoption of solar energy, use of biodiesel in our ground service equipment and ongoing commitment to providing sustainable alternative fuel.”

Kennedy Ricci, 4Air's president, says: “We not only offer turnkey sustainability solutions but, as the only rating system for private aviation emissions reduction, we will evaluate and independently verify Clay Lacy Aviation's sustainability programme.

We can give Clay Lacy Aviation, its stakeholders and its customers the assurance that the programme is meeting its goals and reducing emissions at levels equal to those generated by the flights as well as ground activity.”

The 4Air programme provides a simplified, verifiable path to mitigating the environmental impact of private aviation activities and will provide Clay Lacy Aviation with three services. 4Air will rate the greenhouse gas assessments for Clay Lacy Aviation facilities and participating aircraft under management. In addition, 4Air will review offsets, standards, verification, validation and retirement of carbon credits and ensure that they meet the criteria set forth by industry-leading standards and 4Air rating guidelines. Any aircraft managed by Clay Lacy Aviation participating in an emissions reduction programme can be certified 4Air Bronze, indicating that its operation is carbon-neutral by virtue of offsetting all of its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions with verified carbon offset credits. These credits will fund specific, verified, real-world projects intended to offset carbon emissions. And since 4Air's programme is progressive, aircraft owners using Clay Lacy Aviation for management of their aircraft have a clear path for elevating their commitment to sustainability. For example, aircraft owners could move to a higher 4Air Silver rating by making their aircraft emissions-neutral, offsetting not just CO2 emissions but other pollutants including water vapour, soot and contrails. Owners could go even further and, by opting-in to using sustainable aviation fuels provided by Clay Lacy Aviation, be eligible for a 4Air Gold rating.

Founded in 1968, Clay Lacy Aviation offers aircraft management, charter, maintenance, avionics, interiors, aircraft cleaning and FBO services. In 2020, it developed a comprehensive sustainability programme in order to reduce the company's carbon footprint. It seeks both to reduce the carbon footprint of Clay Lacy Aviation facilities and provide the company's clients with a simple way to reduce the impact of their flying activity.

“We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint in a responsible manner, doing the right thing and making it easier for our clients to do the same,” says Scott Cutshall, senior VP of business operations. “4Air's validation of our efforts provides further confidence in the actions we are taking, ensuring the transparency of every carbon credit retired, confirming the positive impact of our adoption of solar energy, use of biodiesel in our ground service equipment and ongoing commitment to providing sustainable alternative fuel.”