Future air transport

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 03 Oct 2017, 15:53

emordnilap wrote:...There's no 'buffer' of taxes which the government of the day can be ransomed or brown enveloped into reducing, hiding fuel cost increases.

That's why when the oil price spiked it hit the airlines so hard and part of the reason that Monarch has just gone bust as sterling fuel costs rose with the Brexit inspired devaluation of the pound.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 03 Oct 2017, 16:08

kenneal - lagger wrote:
emordnilap wrote:...There's no 'buffer' of taxes which the government of the day can be ransomed or brown enveloped into reducing, hiding fuel cost increases.
That's why when the oil price spiked it hit the airlines so hard and part of the reason that Monarch has just gone bust as sterling fuel costs rose with the Brexit inspired devaluation of the pound.

Aah, right, yeah, on the nail. Peak energy in action. Everything happens in bits, so we don't notice the steady downslide...

Post by **adam2** » 19 Jun 2018, 08:01

Interesting news report about a battery powered aircraft in Norway.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-eur ... e-take-off

It is very small and clearly not a replacement for a large passenger jet. Still an interesting development though.
Such machines might one day become the norm for commuting and leisure travel in sparsely populated regions without roads.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 19 Jun 2018, 11:00

adam2 wrote:Interesting news report about a battery powered aircraft in Norway.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-eur ... e-take-off

It is very small and clearly not a replacement for a large passenger jet. Still an interesting development though.
Such machines might one day become the norm for commuting and leisure travel in sparsely populated regions without roads.

Slightly less danger in a crash, having no fuel tanks.

And 2025 for 'no conventional cars' to be sold - presumably that means new. A much more sensible proposition than us lot's 2040.

Now, about phasing out coal, oil, gas and nuclear...as usual, it's the ordinary joe that has to do the work, not the real polluters.

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » 19 Jun 2018, 14:47

Perhaps they, and everyone else who makes the claim, should stop claiming electric anything is â€œpollution freeâ€�. This is misleading, and far from true.

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 19 Jun 2018, 15:07

woodburner wrote:Perhaps they, and everyone else who makes the claim, should stop claiming electric anything is â€œpollution freeâ€�. This is misleading, and far from true.

Yep

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 19 Jun 2018, 16:01

Did anyone see this video on circular runways? Could be a much better idea than a new runway at Heathrow.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 19 Jun 2018, 16:02

Although not a better idea than no runway at all.

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » 19 Jun 2018, 19:05

I doubt that guy has ever tried flying a plane, except perhaps a pollution free one..

raspberry-blower · Post by **raspberry-blower** » 19 Mar 2019, 10:59

Alice Friedmann On the limitations of battery powered transport

Post by **adam2** » 19 Mar 2019, 11:23

I am a bit doubtful about the above link.
Firstly electric aircraft have ALREADY flown, small ones I know, but they do already exist.
Secondly, they seem undecided as to whether batteries contain 14 times less energy than jet fuel, or 40 times ! and ignore the fact that an electric motor is lighter and more reliable than a jet engine.
Finally they refer to the great amount of energy that an aircraft uses in landing. Nonsense, taking off and climbing uses a lot of energy, but landing almost none. Many aircraft have landed without any power due to engine failure.

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 19 Mar 2019, 13:33

adam2 wrote:.......Finally they refer to the great amount of energy that an aircraft uses in landing. ....

He was talking about that science fiction dream of Vertical Take Off and Landing "cars".

woodburner · Post by **woodburner** » 19 Mar 2019, 22:05

The rate fuel is used increases from normal fligh,t when in the landing phase. It takes more to keep them trundling along on their approach (thick air) than when they are 6 miles up. Aircraft may be able to land without power, but airliners donâ€™t do this and maintain their 3Âº glide slope.