Global Warming
With all the fuss about global warming recently:Amsterdam climate conference, floods, fuel protests, etc. isn't it about time the aviation community started taking the effect of aircraft pollutant emissions very seriously? Don't get me wrong, I am not a fanatic 'green', in fact am a dedicated 'petrolhead' and keen on aeroplanes, cars, motorbikes, etc.But I can't help noticing the bland assumption of aviation planners that air travel will double/ quadruple, and so on, over the next twenty years. If that is the case, with one 747 emitting as much greenhouse gases as 10000 motorcars, apparently, then the ice caps stand no chance at all.
So I think we should seriously start addressing this debate, as it could surely have a drastic effect on future employment levels in commercial aviation, before the anti-progress fanatics start clamouring for restrictions on aviation activity to be forced on the industry(eg heavy taxes on Avtur)After all, there is a limit to how fuel efficient, and environmentally friendly, a large turbine engine can be made, so aircraft can never be made pollution free.
Any comments?
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