RAF Seeks Zero Emissions Trainer
Of course this can't really be a 'zero emissions trainer' unless its 'fuel' is genuinely net-zero and all the tasks involved in building it and its components (eg mining the lithium for the battery) are also genuinely net-zero. 'Zero carbon emission at the point of use' is a cop-out. It'll be an 'elsewhere emissions trainer.'
Even after that, they've got a mountain to climb. I look forward to the (genuinely) zero emissions F-35, Chinook and heavy transport aircraft..
Even after that, they've got a mountain to climb. I look forward to the (genuinely) zero emissions F-35, Chinook and heavy transport aircraft..
but got to be close. Nothing like a bungy launch 
I heard tales of one being used for an aerial streak from Bicester using an airtow. I cannot swear to the authenticity of the tale as I wasn't there.
We had one at school that we used to shoot across the playing field, I don't think we ever got it that high though, staff probably never had the bottle. We rarely took the spoilers off tbh.
I heard tales of one being used for an aerial streak from Bicester using an airtow. I cannot swear to the authenticity of the tale as I wasn't there.
I heard tales of one being used for an aerial streak from Bicester using an airtow. I cannot swear to the authenticity of the tale as I wasn't there.
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If we were a closed system, sure. But we’re not. The sun pours energy into the earth’s atmosphere.
Now you could make the argument that the total amount of energy in the solar system is constant, but that’s not real helpful to the things living on earth.
Now you could make the argument that the total amount of energy in the solar system is constant, but that’s not real helpful to the things living on earth.
Is no one else tired of the stupidity? We're talking about training pilots to kill people and blow things up and if they are not the best trained in theatre get shot down/blown up themselves and instead of worrying about what is the very best training vehicle we're supposed to be worried about its carbon footprint?
What is the carbon footprint of a fuel dump explosion?
What is the carbon footprint of a fuel dump explosion?
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Is no one else tired of the stupidity? We're talking about training pilots to kill people and blow things up and if they are not the best trained in theatre get shot down/blown up themselves and instead of worrying about what is the very best training vehicle we're supposed to be worried about its carbon footprint?
What is the carbon footprint of a fuel dump explosion?
What is the carbon footprint of a fuel dump explosion?
Is no one else tired of the stupidity? We're talking about training pilots to kill people and blow things up and if they are not the best trained in theatre get shot down/blown up themselves and instead of worrying about what is the very best training vehicle we're supposed to be worried about its carbon footprint?
What is the carbon footprint of a fuel dump explosion?
What is the carbon footprint of a fuel dump explosion?
Not aimed at anyone in particular, more a musing, but the argument that it isn’t cheap or easy and therefore shouldn’t be considered is mystifying to me.
Without aiming to beat expensive and difficult challenges little if anything would have been achieved by the human race.
No agricultural revolution, no industrial revolution, no technological revolution.
it confuses me even more when it is wielded by allegedly ‘experienced’ individuals. The self same individuals who have spent a lifetime utilising the success stories from others struggles to overcome difficult and expensive problems.
Naturally there are legion failures to accompany every success but without trying we will never succeed at anything.
Without aiming to beat expensive and difficult challenges little if anything would have been achieved by the human race.
No agricultural revolution, no industrial revolution, no technological revolution.
it confuses me even more when it is wielded by allegedly ‘experienced’ individuals. The self same individuals who have spent a lifetime utilising the success stories from others struggles to overcome difficult and expensive problems.
Naturally there are legion failures to accompany every success but without trying we will never succeed at anything.
The question is whether all this zero carbon stuff is nonsense and a complete waste of time.
I'm sure that the aircraft designers in 1946 looking at B35/46 for a four engined bomber to fly at 500Kts and at least 55,000 ft were perplexed by the enormity of the task. And they then built it. Or three in fact. Sometimes one has to be bold.
The question is whether all this zero carbon stuff is nonsense and a complete waste of time.
The question is whether all this zero carbon stuff is nonsense and a complete waste of time.
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I'm sure that the aircraft designers in 1946 looking at B35/46 for a four engined bomber to fly at 500Kts and at least 55,000 ft were perplexed by the enormity of the task. And they then built it. Or three in fact. Sometimes one has to be bold.
The question is whether all this zero carbon stuff is nonsense and a complete waste of time.
The question is whether all this zero carbon stuff is nonsense and a complete waste of time.
The other however is just pigheaded inertia.
I think this initiative should be looked at from a glass half full perspective, At present it would seem to me the bean counters are doing everything in their power to reduce the amount of time studes actually spend in an flying airplane. I would suggest that we are at or at least very close to a practical electric 2 seat trainer with the performance to meet the primary and basic flying curriculum.
I think everyone should be banging the drum on the message that instead of spending money on simulators the services should be spending money on electric airplanes. Throw in the usual virtue signaling buzz words like enabling zero emission technologies, encouraging climate friendly enterprises, funding technology incubators, public private partnership to a green future; and future proofing air capabilities; and the mandarins will eat it up.
The end result is instead of more and more time in some "ground based learning device "the future Air Force guys and gals get more actual airtime. What's not to like about that ?
I think everyone should be banging the drum on the message that instead of spending money on simulators the services should be spending money on electric airplanes. Throw in the usual virtue signaling buzz words like enabling zero emission technologies, encouraging climate friendly enterprises, funding technology incubators, public private partnership to a green future; and future proofing air capabilities; and the mandarins will eat it up.
The end result is instead of more and more time in some "ground based learning device "the future Air Force guys and gals get more actual airtime. What's not to like about that ?
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Aura Integral E could meet the spec (and I am also interested in it for the civilian UPRT task), but will be very dependent on development of the right battery technology. If Elon Musk can mass produce robust, rapid charging batteries with energy density of at least 400 Wh per Kg in the next few years we could be there.
https://insideevs.com/news/440727/el...cells-not-far/
https://insideevs.com/news/440727/el...cells-not-far/
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Can you imagine the risk assessment for doing that now?? How many different JSPs/MARDs would you have to read? With the risk aversion pervading the military, who would own the risk? ODH? SDH? God?
I think this initiative should be looked at from a glass half full perspective, At present it would seem to me the bean counters are doing everything in their power to reduce the amount of time studes actually spend in an flying airplane. I would suggest that we are at or at least very close to a practical electric 2 seat trainer with the performance to meet the primary and basic flying curriculum.
I think everyone should be banging the drum on the message that instead of spending money on simulators the services should be spending money on electric airplanes. Throw in the usual virtue signaling buzz words like enabling zero emission technologies, encouraging climate friendly enterprises, funding technology incubators, public private partnership to a green future; and future proofing air capabilities; and the mandarins will eat it up.
The end result is instead of more and more time in some "ground based learning device "the future Air Force guys and gals get more actual airtime. What's not to like about that ?
I think everyone should be banging the drum on the message that instead of spending money on simulators the services should be spending money on electric airplanes. Throw in the usual virtue signaling buzz words like enabling zero emission technologies, encouraging climate friendly enterprises, funding technology incubators, public private partnership to a green future; and future proofing air capabilities; and the mandarins will eat it up.
The end result is instead of more and more time in some "ground based learning device "the future Air Force guys and gals get more actual airtime. What's not to like about that ?
Making a decision and picking a field was certainly good training for Sully on the Hudson. RAF trainee pilots currently kicking their heels waiting for a training slot would be better employed learning in a VGS, then training cadets instead of shuffling paper or whatever they are doing.
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I can't quite work out if everyone is being deliberately obtuse and making a joke of it, or just haven't though it through.
Battery powered light aircraft are coming and they are going to be cheaper to buy, cheaper to run and cheaper to maintain than existing platforms.
It's not the "zero emission" bit that's important -it's the through life cost.
Battery powered light aircraft are coming and they are going to be cheaper to buy, cheaper to run and cheaper to maintain than existing platforms.
It's not the "zero emission" bit that's important -it's the through life cost.