The future of flying

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Sat, 07 Jul 2007 12:00a.m.

Boeing's new 787

Boeing's new 787

The aviation industry is fighting back against claims it is a global polluter.
 
Plane maker Boeing is about to roll out an airliner it says is more environmentally friendly than current passenger planes.
 
Air New Zealand has ordered eight Dreamliners which are set to be unveiled in Seattle this weekend.
 
Boeing claims they are over twenty percent more fuel efficient than current planes.
 
The Dreamliner is made of a lightweight carbon-fibre skin, rather than the traditional metal.
 
It is more aerodynamic, and new engine technology means it will also be much quieter.
 
The 787 and A380 Superjumbo from European rival Airbus claim to be more fuel efficient per passenger than the average family car.
 
Leading frequent flyers are under pressure from environmental groups despite air travel accounting for just three percent of the world's CO2 emissions.
 
Industry experts predict air travel to double over the next twenty years, fuelled by low cost airlines, and more routes, served by mid-range planes like the Dreamliner.
 
Some critics are warning future oil shortages will clip the wings of the world's travellers.
 
Boeing has announced plans with Richard Branson's Virgin empire to test a plane that runs on plant-based bio fuels.
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10 Jul 2007 07:22p.m.

rich wrote:

i hope this plane is the swansong of the oil fueled world economy.me, al gore and people like xav will bring a socialist enviro revolution to the world from the high seats of our eco-friendly bicycles!together we will crush big oil and bring the world into a hemp fuelled utopian reality where disease,greed,war and 'the man'will be a thing of the past.long live john campbell!!!

10 Jul 2007 10:14a.m.

phil wrote:

"The aviation industry is fighting back against claims it is a global polluter". At 18 tonnes per hour fuel burn for a Jumbo jet I think they need to.

10 Jul 2007 10:11a.m.

Large Portion wrote:

The "Dreamliner". What a lovely name. No doubt back in cattle class it will still be a bleedin' nightmare.

09 Jul 2007 10:35p.m.

Richard wrote:

Xav, conspiracy theory, I take that as you really know nothing on the topic then. I suggest learning about Eugene Island, and the gulf of mexico, both areas that are well known to be filling back up from deeper reserves. Ia lso suggest reading some of the scientific research on this topic, and not the research from the people claiming the end of the world is near. BTW, within the next few years the US is going to announce a major oil find, actually the biggest to date, that took place a few years ago. They are already privately putting the tender out for contracts.

09 Jul 2007 12:26p.m.

Xav, Tokoroa wrote:

Richard, I know you are deep into the Conspiracy Theory field and your comments do keep me amused, but really both of you misread the main thrust of my contribution, which was twofold. One...we cannot keep burning fossil fuels the way we are because of the desperate and dangerous result of massive pollution. Two, eventually the oil will run out--surely that has to be crushingly obvious? Whatever is used in place of our present transport system will have to be substantially pollution free and I have merely suggested a few possibilities.

09 Jul 2007 08:22a.m.

harry wrote:

There are far more oil reserves than they like to let on NZ Australia Papua Philipeans China sits atop the worlds largest known oil deposit basically untapped They struck oil on my grandfathers property at silverdale before I was born, as a teenager oil became my pet subject. Australia has enough shale oil deposits to supply the entire world at the late 80s consumption rates for 150 years 130 years ago there were 5or6 companys refining shale oil in Australia but with the dumping of refined oil on the Aust market they all closed. My niebours grandfather was one of them.WE dshould not be useing oil other technoligies have made it obsolete. The way we use petrol as a raw fuel instead of agas is allso a huge waste and pollutant

08 Jul 2007 09:01p.m.

Richard wrote:

Xav, have you ever read any of the research that the oil running out is a lie, that there are oil reservoirs that were considered empty that are now filling back up from deeper deposits. I actually see a rather more exciting future for transport that you Xav, but I am keeping quiet on it, lol. but I think we will see the signs of such transport within a couple of years.

08 Jul 2007 12:00p.m.

Xav, Tokoroa wrote:

I think the future of just about all international transport will rely on the development of very large sailing ships. On land, electric trains, the power again coming from wind generators, with possibly nuclear as a back up. There will be no oil driven machinery as it will have run out and until coal can be burned to give almost zero pollutants, it will not be used either. There is a small chance of the return of large airships, using some sort of a closed cycle steam turbine... As for you and I....bikes, probably. A family tandem?

08 Jul 2007 12:02a.m.

Richard wrote:

and I thought the future of flying was on ufo's