 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
New method for plane landings to cut CO2: aviation group
Oslo (AFP) Aug 10, 2009 Aviation group Scandinavian Airlines System said on Monday it had designed a new landing method for aircraft, which could slash fuel consumption and emissions of carbon dioxide. The new technique, which involves planes gliding into land following an optimum route mapped out by satellite, could save around 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of fuel in a twin-engined jet, the group said. That is the equivalent of around 300 kilograms of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere when the fuel is burnt, the company said. "We win on two levels," said Thomas Midteide, spokesman for SAS Norway, the Norwegian airline run by the group. "On one hand, we save fuel, on the other, we reduce our emissions of CO2 (carbon dioxide)." Carbon dioxide is widely considered a major greenhouse gas which is seen as contributing to climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a scientific body which assesses climate change, says air transport produces two percent of all carbon dioxide emissions from humans and 13 percent of CO2 from transport. The new landing method sees an aircraft's engines put into neutral as it comes into land, letting the plane glide in automatic following a route mapped out for it by satellite. Just before the craft lands, the pilot takes up the controls again. The traditional method sees pilots manually control the craft as it descends in stages over a large area, which gobbles a huge amount of fuel. The new technique has so far only been tested in a simulator, but will be tried out in a Boeing 737 overnight from Monday to Tuesday in Tromsoe, northern Norway. If the idea is approved by civil aviation authorities, it could be introduced to airlines run by the Scandinavian group. The group believes the method would be best suited to quieter airports which are surrounded by hills or mountains. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com
Dismal first half for Cathay Pacific as global crisis bitesHong Kong (AFP) Aug 5, 2009 Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific said Wednesday the global economic crisis had battered its passenger and cargo services in the first half of the year, with revenue plummeting 27.1 percent. A collapse in business and first class travel was accompanied by a similar plunge in the firm's cargo business, as demand from the United States and Europe for products made in southern China's factory ... read more |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2009 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook