Clean Jet Fuel from the Air?

Dean Sigler Announcements, Biofuels, Diesel Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

What if we could suck carbon from the air, make clean jet fuel out of it, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by using this fuel in our airliners?  That’s a dream pursued by many researchers, and recently Rotterdam the Hague Airport announced a study to sort out the plausibility of such a plan.  First, though, we need to look at the numbers for how much fossil fuel would have to be replaced. These are Big Numbers How much fuel goes into a large jetliner?  How efficiently is it used?  These are matters of concern to airline executives on a profit-and-loss basis, and to all of us on an environmental basis.  Let’s look at the Boeing 787 Dreamliner variants for an …

Bulletproof Batteries?

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

Researchers announce that a “New battery technology from the University of Michigan should be able to prevent the kind of fires that grounded Boeing 787 Dreamliners in 2013.”  The use of the word “should” is instructive, since scientist usually couch such announcements in more guarded terms. Battery separator materials are usually not the glamorous part of cell development, most headlines given to electrode and electrolyte breakthroughs.  Kevlar may be a way, within batteries, of preventing a breakthrough.  Nanofibers extracted from Kevlar, that impenetrable material in bullet-proof vests, “stifles the growth of metal tendrils that can become unwanted pathways for electrical current,” according to a University of Michigan report. Separator material stands between layers of other battery materials and ideally allows …

Pipistrel G4 Nominated for Collier Trophy

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, GFC, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

Taja Boscarol, Public Relations Manager for Pipistrel, sends this news today: “The Pipistrel Taurus G4, world’s first 4-seat electric aircraft, was nominated for the prestigious Collier Trophy. “The Collier Trophy, the ‘Greatest Award in Aviation,’ has been the benchmark of aviation and aerospace achievement for over 100 years.  Awarded annually, ‘…for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America,’ it has been bestowed upon some of the most important projects, programs, individuals, and accomplishments in our nation’s history.” Collier-winning individuals have included the crews of Apollo 11 and 8, Mercury 7, Scott Crossfield, Elmer Sperry and Howard Hughes.  Projects and Programs have included the B-52, Polaris Missile, Surveyor Moon Landing Program, Boeing 747, Cessna Citation, Gulfstream V, the F-22 …

We Know It Flies Well, But Does It Look Good?

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, GFC, Sustainable Aviation 1 Comment

Taja Boscarol, Public Relations Manager for Pipistrel, sends notice that their Taurus Electro G4 is a finalist in the Design Museum’s “Designs of the Year” competition for 2012 in the Transport category.  This will be the second year in a row that an electric airplane has been nominated in the prestigious competition, last year’s win being taken by the Yuneec e430. The London-based Design Museum’s Design Awards are considered “the Oscars of the design world,” and are given in seven categories: Architecture, Digital, Fashion, Furniture, Graphics and Transport and Product.  Pipistrel’s Green Flight Challenge-winning airplane will be up against a range of transportation-related designs, including: AUTOLIB’, a car-sharing program developed by SOCIÉTÉ AUTOLIB’ SAS AND Bertrand Delanoë, Mayor of Paris, France …