U.S. Airlines have ordered their pilots to slow down to reduce fuel consumption.They say the move will add minutes to flight times whilst, at the same time, save millions in fuel costs.
However, the strategy will not be taken up by the large British airlines, even though the price of jet fuel has shot up by more than 70 per cent in the past year.
Both British Airways and Virgin said they have already introduced fuel-saving measures which they believe are more effective than those adopted by t... Read Full Story
Turboprop Aircraft Are Back In Fashion
With oil around $120 a barrel and climbing it seems that only new technology will be able to keep us flying at a price we can afford.
Not so! say some bigwigs in the aircraft industry. And they are backing their claims by ordering more old fashioned aircraft with propellors.
In the “less than 70 seat” market turboprops - which were once thought of as noisy and bumpy - are outselling equivalent regional jets by two to one.
According to Kapil K... Read Full Story
I would like to apologise to all readers and fans of this blog for the lack of posts over the past couple of weeks, during which time I’ve not been too well. Normal service will, hopefully, now be resumed.
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The average two-car family in the UK will spend more than £400 extra on petrol (gas) this year as fuel prices hit record levels, figures show.
Soaring petrol (gas) and diesel prices have increased the total cost of running a small family car to 58p a mile, from 55.3p a year ago, according to the AA.
UK pump prices will certainly continue rising to record levels in the spring following the price of oil hitting a series of highs since the beginning of the year.
Two-car families are now £36.93 w... Read Full Story
According to an article by James Randerson and Nicholas Watt which has been published in the UK Guardian newspaper, Gordon Brown, the British Prime Minister, is preparing to do battle with the European Union over biofuels after one of the UK government’s leading scientists warned they could exacerbate the problem of climate change rather than help to beat it it.
In an damning attack on a policy which comes into force next week, Professor Bob Watson, the chief scientific adviser at the ... Read Full Story
Increasing gas mileage and horsepower with fast food waste
“Think about it,” Goodwin laughs. “…a 5,000-pound vehicle that gets 60 miles to the gallon and does zero to 60 in five seconds!”
Thus does Johnathan Goodwin, a 37-year old “who looks like Kevin Costner with better hair,” describe the 2005 H3 Hummer he’s recently hacked into being a tricked-out electric hybrid that runs on waste frying oils from fast food joints.
Fast Company Magazine calls him the “Motorhead Messiah” for taking the h... Read Full Story
On March 7th. The BBC Money Programme screened a program that questions the sustainability and cost of producing bio-fuels for transport use. The 30 minute programme was quite enlightening.
To view a video of the programme Click Here
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The world’s motor manufacturers have been falling over themselves at the Geneva Motor Show to enhance their green credentials (Do they have any?)
One of the companies with the biggest hill to climb, Bentley, has surprised a few people. It has recently come under fire for the copious quantities of black gold quaffed by it’s goliaths of the road But it has announced plans to double, yes double, the miles per gallon from around 15 to 30 within four years. A 40 percent uplift in fuel efficiency, ... Read Full Story
European legislators have taken a step which has angered Green campaigners and reversed the efforts of many environmentally aware motorists.
In a move which will force drivers in all member states to waste money and spew out more carbon dioxide, the European Union has injured it’s green credentials by ordering that vehicles will have to travel during the day with their lights on.
The ‘ludicrous’ European directive, to be introduced in 2011, has been condemned by campaigners who say the rules ... Read Full Story
The first flight by a commercial airline to be powered partly by biofuel has landed in Amsterdam, today February 24th. after flying from London’s Heathrow Airport.
Although hailed by Virgin Atlantic as a green fuel breakthrough, the flight did not carry passengers.
Earlier this month, Airbus used the world’s largest passenger jet, the A380, to test another alternative fuel - a synthetic mix of gas-to-liquid.The three-hour Airbus flight from Filton near Bristol to Toulouse on 1 February... Read Full Story
