Wow, just 3 days after damaging its wingtip on a building at the Paris Airshow, Airbus had their A380 test unit back in the skies.
Tag Archives: planes
787 Flight Simulator
Photo – C130’s
With all the links to aviation news, it’s about time for another plane-related photo:
This is a shot I took on one of my projects for work. You may have already noticed I have a crop of this shot in the rotation of header images I use.
Biofuel Jets Across the Atlantic
iPads to Save Jet Fuel?
American and its parent AMR Corp. estimate that using the iPad over paper could cut its fuel bill by roughly $1.2 million a year because of its lighter weight.
What I love about this quote is that it illustrates American Airlines’ laser-focus on cutting fuel consumption. Have you ever noticed how American Airlines’ planes are polished instead of painted? That’s also for fuel savings. Year’s ago they did a cost analysis on the weight of the paint on planes and determined how much they could save by not painting… and now their planes are polished.
I still can’t stand their lack of customer service though.
Aircraft Landing/Departure Efficiency
This article on trials in Sweden seems to be exacly like Continuous Descent Approach currently being tested in the States.
iPad Adoption in Aviation
Jeppesen, the authoritative source for all things related to aviation charts (IFR charts, VFR charts, etc.) is taking advantage of all of the iPad’s capabilities as they encourage the move from paper charts to electronic. The combination of the iPad and of Jeppesen’s development efforts will make things a lot easier on pilots.
Aviation Biofuels Redux
More on ASTM approval of aviation biofuels.
Biofuels in Aviation
Great article on biofuels being approved for use in commercial aviation.
I’ve got mixed feeling about biofuels. I like the idea of replacing fossil fuels but I think corn ethanol has tied the price of a basic food product to the volatile market of fossil fuels. Corn ethanol subsidies are, in part, to blame for the increase in prices for corn and other grains. I can see the effects of this firsthand over in the Middle East where all grains and grain-based products are imported. It’s the law of unintended consequences catching up with political decision-making.
That’s what I was happy to read this part:
Airbus and Boeing, which together manufacture about 80 percent of the world’s passenger planes, are planning to set up biofuel production chains across the world. Airbus is working on a supply hub in India where it’s talking with government and airline officials. Its aim is to form joint ventures and partnerships with growers, transporters and refiners. Boeing is negotiating with companies across the supply chain in South America. Fuel from inedible plants or waste doesn´t put price pressure on crops as can fuel from corn, sugar cane or soy.
These two private companies apparently have the foresight to avoid the food-product ethanol mistake.
In the photo caption was something that hit close to “home” for me:
Boeing is test growing halophytes, a salt-tolerant energy crop, in the United Arab Emirates as part of its renewable fuel supply development.
A380’s and Trans-Atlantic Capacity
A total of 408 daily flights are scheduled between the U.S. and Europe this summer, said Craig Jenks, president of Airline/Aircraft Projects. After years of declining as airlines switched to smaller planes, the average number of seats on those flights will rise to 255.8 seats per departure this summer compared to 252.4 last summer.
The super-jumbo Airbus A380, now flown by both Air France and Lufthansa to the U.S., accounts for most of the per-departure seat increase.
(Via The Middle Seat Terminal.)