Lies Dammed Lies and Politicians By Steve Allison We must all prepare ourselves for an increase in the cost of air travel, yet again. We already pay well over the odds for a ticket on a commercial flight due to all the hidden costs and taxes. World leaders and other interested parties got together in Paris last December to talk about “Climate Change”. Climate Change used to be called “Global Warming” however rather inconveniently, the average temperature around the globe started falling so the perpetrators of the lie had to come up with a new name. Now, that statement will have already angered some readers whilst others will be cheering. It is, without doubt one of the most controversial issues of our time. What most people fail to do is apply straightforward logic. The climate is changing of that there is no doubt. The climate has been changing for as long as the planet has been around and many millions of years before man inhabited its surface. Any geological study will confirm that. What Climate Change is really all about is a global income tax, something world leaders have been aiming to achieve for many years. Should you wish to find the root of any problem in the world, follow the money. What is interesting is that if we surveyed a group of people and asked them, “Do you think politicians are liars?”, The answer would be a resounding, “Yes”. The second question put to the same group, “Do you think Climate Change is man made?” would have around half the group agreeing and the other half disagreeing. Those that agreed would say that the decision was based on what a politician had told them. So, they believe what politicians, the same politicians they believe to be liars and are the ones who collect all the money. I have to get this article out reasonably promptly before it becomes illegal to publish it. One of the things to come out of the Paris get together was a desire amongst world leaders to make it illegal to be a climate change denier! Now, the moment you make it illegal to have an opinion, you have got something to hide. If you are confident in your argument there is no need to outlaw any controversial discussion. This in Europe and the USA, countries that lecture the world on freedom! “This is a free country. You're at liberty to agree with the government any time you like.” That said, keeping the air we breathe as clean as possible is never a bad thing. Oil is a finite resource so the more fuel we can save the better. The aviation industry has made significant advances in both areas in particular the efficiency of jet engines. All of the big three engine manufacturers are working tirelessly to improve efficiency. Boeing 707 A Boeing 777 is around five times more efficient than a Boeing 707, which was cutting edge in the 1960's The 707 engines generated 19 000 lbs of thrust and burned around 40 gallons of fuel per minute per engine. The 707 had four engines resulting in a fuel burn of 160 gallons per minute. They could carry a total of 180 passengers. Boeing 777 The GE engines fitted to the Boeing 777 generate 115 000 lbs of thrust and only burn around 14.5 gallons of fuel per minute per engine. Being a twin engine aircraft that equates to just under 30 gallons per minute. Much more significantly the 777 carries around 390 passengers, more than twice as many as the 707. The 777 is actually around 12 times more economical per passenger mile than the 707. A 737-200 and 737-300 in formation note the more modern engine on the 300 That of course is still not enough in the eyes of the operators and manufacturers. The 777 looks like a real gas guzzler in comparison to the new generation airliners like the Boeing 787 and the airbus A350XWB. Airbus designed the aircraft using advanced technologies to provide a 25 per cent improvement in fuel efficiency. Boeing 787 Airbus A350XWB The engine which powers the Airbus A350, the Rolls Royce Trent XWB was specifically designed for this aircraft with a thrust rating of 84 000lbs. The engine diameter, 299 cm is larger than the Concorde fuselage. The innovative all-new Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic fuselage is also a significant factor reducing the weight of the aircraft. Rolls Royce XWB The biggest driver behind engine technology of course is cost. Fuel is significant part of the operating cost of an airline. Airline bosses will claim that they are concerned about the environment, using phrases like “Being, a good neighbour.” But all they are really interested in is cost. Business leaders are driven by one thing and one thing only, bottom line profit. The more fuel efficient an engine is, the cleaner it is. Regardless of what the propaganda merchants may tell you, emissions are directly proportional to fuel burned. Aircraft are becoming more fuel efficient and that's a good thing as for global warming, well I'll leave that to your opinion.

Allison on Airliners

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