The sixth annual Electric Electric Aircraft Symposium, CAFE’s premier event, got a lot of press attention this year, including lead story status from AOPA and acknowledgement from Engadget and AVweb. We’ll start with the one that’s most fun to listen to – a podcast from AVweb. Mary Grady of AVweb interviewed Dr. Brien Seeley, President of the CAFE Foundation, about the just completed Electric Aircraft Symposium at Santa Rosa, California, which drew participants from at least eight countries and 10 multi-national corporations. With Federal Aviation Administration representation and a former Environmental Protection Agency head signed up to attend, the Symposium drew some high-level attention this year. Dr. Seeley was enthusiastic about the rapidly maturing technology and industry, with Tom Gunnarson …
Big Birds Flying Green Economy Class (Part Three): Environmental Politics or Revenue Source?
Recent disputes among the many national and regional players in the emerging biofuel/jet fuel markets may slow acceptance and development of hese promising alternatives to fossil fuels. The European Union’s emissions trading system (ETS) seems to be central to contentions by China and the United States. The scheme would impose caps on carbon emissions from airlines flying into Europe, unleashing charges from China that the proposed rules discriminate against carriers from developing countries. A one cent per liter tax on jet fuel, part of the system, is at least partially responsible for the international dispute. According to Flight Global, “The airlines likely to be involved are the nation’s flag carrier Air China, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines, said an official from the China Air Transport …
Big Birds Flying Green Economy Class (Part Two): Inspire and Aspire
Strategy was almost as important as design in the recent Green Flight Challenge, with near flawless planning and execution of carefully-crafted flight paths by the winning teams. This same precision and use of resources will become more important in a future constrained by increasingly precious fuels. According to Greenaironline.com, “The Indian Ocean Strategic Partnership to Reduce Emissions (Inspire) partnership achieved fuel savings of 3,482kilograms (29,723lb) and carbon dioxide savings of 42,469kg on five flights operated between Australia and the Middle East and South Africa.” These green demonstration flights, according to Greenair, show, “what is what is possible when air navigation service providers (ANSP), airlines and airports work together to remove operational constraints.” Begun in 2010 to “develop gate-to-gate procedures, practice and services” …