More than 200 airlines and the International Air Transport Association have committed to cutting carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions to half 2005 levels by 2050. Every small decrease in an aircraft’s weight gets them one step closer to the goal of reducing this greenhouse gas. AmSafe® Inc., Phoenix, Ariz., introduced cargo and bulk-hold nets made of Dyneema® ultra-strong polyester at the May 2010 Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, that will lighten the load for airlines trying to reduce CO₂ emissions.

The AmSafe Bridport business unit successfully launched lightweight Dyneema pallet nets in 2009, and aviation barrier nets are the only certified textile restraint that is part of the aircraft structure. The new cargo and bulk-hold nets can replace rigid bulkhead barriers, reducing weight even further without compromising strength. Dyneema, manufactured by DSM Dyneema in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Greenville, N.C., is almost 15 times stronger than steel and up to 40 percent stronger than aramid fibers for the same weight. The durable fiber floats on water and resists moisture, UV degradation and chemicals, and has become a mainstay for ropes, cables and nets in the fishing, shipping and off-shore industries.