Surely it should be possible to have more environmentally friendly aircraft without damaging GA?
This wouldn't be difficult considering the number of old aircraft in use, especially planes like Cessna 152 which trades simplicity against fuel consumption.
Ideal solution would be if environmentalists and organisation like AOPA could agree a common path to lobby governments. I could see a number advantages
- Environmentalists (reasonable ones) could get old planes replaced with cleaner and quieter planes. (I was thinking of replacing a C152 with a nice new Flight Design, CTSW)
- If AOPA could get maintenance requirements reduced for new planes and a tax incentive scheme for buying a cleaner newer plane. With some sort of exemption for classic planes.
Everyone wins.
(I know, I'm too idealistic)
I'm relatively new flying (still learning to fly at the moment). But when I started to fly I was surprised to learn how stone age Cessna's are. I have a car industry back ground, cars have been getting cleaner since the 70's but this doesn't stop car manufacturers producing fun car's like the Porsche Boxster. The sort of improvements found in a modern car.
- Runs on unleaded petrol.
- Fuel injectors, no carb. (WOW)
- Engine management unit (aircraft equivalent is FADEC)
- Catalytic converters (difficult to gas yourself with CO unlike a Cessna)
- Advance diagnostics which checks that the emissions technology is working correctly, if not a MIL light appears on the dash board.
I know aviation is very conservative and reluctant to add new technology, but the above improvements should have been standard in aircraft for some time.