Gas Guzzlers

[threegreenlights]

I was very interested to hear that Airbus believe the new A380 will be in service for fifty years.

Air transport is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. The world's fleet has doubled fuel efficiency over the past 30 years but global air traffic has quadrupled since 1970 to some 1500 billion passenger miles a year and is projected to double or triple by 2050.

The IGPCC forecast a 487% increase in carbon dioxide emissions from global aviation between 1992 and 2050.

Short haul flights of less than 350 miles produces around three times more CO2 per passenger than rail traffic.
The average jet emits around one tonne of carbon dioxide for every passenger it carries from LHR to JFK - one return flight produces more carbon dioxide than a year of driving an average sized car.

The scientific community now believe it is a case of 'WHEN' not 'IF'
we experience climate change and other environmental problems brought about by 'greenhouse gas' emissions.

The conclusions:
1) Air travel leaves a heavy carbon 'footprint' which the aircraft manufacturers must reduce efficiently and quickly.

2) To do this an alternative to kerosene based fuel must be found.

3) The next twenty years will be crucial to the future of air travel as we know it.

4) Politicians and the leaders in our industry will have to address some difficult issues BUT do they have the foresight and will to do it?

[mccdatabase]

You should be more worried about the industrial growth of countries like China and India whose ever increasing energy requirements will be produced from fuels like Coal and Oil, the emissions from these sources will dwarf any potential aviation derived Co2 emissions (and cause worldwide oil shortages as well).

[LegsUpLucy]

It is a big concern for the industry and i'm sure a big headache for the governments.
The kyoto agreement must be a huge headache for Mr.Blair;especially as the uk has seen such a massive growth in the low cost sector so dramatically in the last decade;how they intend to commit to these emissions cuts will be an interesting topic for the future.I hear there is a european commision study on the subject of emmisions quotas for each airline,of which will be exchangable.....but its obvious that costs for all airlines will no doubt rise,survival of the fittest!!

[cwatters]

http://www.eere.energy.gov/news/archive.cfm/pubDate=%7Bd%20'2005-11-02'%7D

"A report from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research is skeptical about the long-term view for airline emissions, particularly with regard to the United Kingdom's goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 60 percent by 2050.

If the aviation industry keeps growing at current rates, the report claims that every U.K. household, motorist, and business would have to cut their emissions to zero by 2050"

Report here..

http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/media/press_releases/tyndallpr21sep.pdf

[Driver (airframe)]

When will aircraft say on popular routes such as the Kangaroo route or London-New York not be allowed to take off until it's chockers? One may have to wait at the check-in counter quite some time to get on an aircraft with a paint scheme you like.

What does the Queen Mary 2 consume (coal dust?:( ) per passenger from Southampton to New york compared with a 747 across the Atlantic?

Soon travel may require a special licence. Reasons for travel such as warm weather won't be considered.:yuk:

[Croqueteer]

Three greens, 300 seats, 300 tons of CO2, what aircraft carries over 300 tons of fuel, or am I missing something?

[BYMONEK]

Driver

The Queen Mary maybe but not the QM2. She's powered by 4 propellers ( pulling rather than pushing) which are driven by pods which are electric. Each one weighs approx the same as a 747. Her 2 gas turbines provide the internal power requirements hence the minimal 'smoke' from the funnel.

But it's most definately not coal!

[Scottie]

I shouldn't worry about emissions as they reckon the Peak Oil years are just round the corner so after that aviation will be so expensive that no one will be flying!!!!

[320DRIVER]

Assuming the cruise phase, an aircraft like the A320 burns about 2.2 T an hour.

The amount of CO2 produced is 3.15 times the fuel burnt, i.e., 6.93T

Then divide that by 180 pax, makes it 38.5 kg of CO2 per pasenger per hour.

Don't know how that works out for larger aircraft.