V-Flyer

I found this very interesting indeed.

Also, follow the link at the foot of the article about Biomimicry...
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/20 ... draws.html

Whatever happned to the VS experiment of using tugs to take the plane from the gate to the end of the runway rather than using the planes own power?

That was supposed to save gazillions of gallons of fuel.

Whatever happned to the VS experiment of using tugs to take the plane from the gate to the end of the runway rather than using the planes own power?

That was supposed to save gazillions of gallons of fuel

Tonybear, I might sound like a cynic but for as long as VS and all the other airlines get away with charging exorbitant fuel surcharges per passenger per plane per trip, then there is no real reason to "save fuel".
On a typical flight LHR to SFO in June 2012, the VS fuel surcharge for an UC passenger is £590 and for PE and Economy passengers it is £402. On a aircraft full of passengers that's a hell of a surcharge on fuel, which one assumes was already costed into a fare prior to the world's oil crisis in recent years. But for as long as we pay out without complaint, they are not going to a)look how to save fuel, or b) think this is not fair to our customers. Profit, Profit and more Profit ! .
Life's good at the top!

I dread to think how much fuel is burnt off at JFK every evening as 20-30 aircraft line up for an hour or so v(

I knwo what you are saying Hev - I am totally anti the fuel surcharge being in the 'extras' bit

that said why would an airline want to burn fuel just because pax have paid for it. surely they would want to use less fuel but charge the same and add to the bottom line?

And, as the article says, EU regulation will soon force the issue by penalising for CO2 emissions above certain levels - will we get CO2 surcharges as well?:D