
Scientists want planes to fly in formation like geese, to save on jet fuel - vaksel
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/dec/27/jets-fuel-geese-carbon-dioxide
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mechanical_fish
Or, to be more accurate, _one_ scientist and his team _suggested_ that planes
_could_ save on jet fuel by doing this.

In other news, there was once a math professor who suggested blowing up the
moon:

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Abian>

"Scientists" want the darnedest things. It's almost as if they think for
themselves, take great joy in impractical or even silly ideas, and are as
likely to be crazy as anyone else.

~~~
chancho
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Csj7vMKy4EI>

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russell
Color me skeptical. Geese and pelicans fly within a few wingspans of each
other and at relatively low speeds. I am not sure I would want to fly in a
flock of jumbos a few hundred feet apart at mach .85. Mythbusters did a show
on the benefits of drafting semis. The conclusion was that the savings were
substantial, but the following vehicle had to be so close that the danger was
also substantial, 2 feet IIRC.

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ErrantX
they are supposedly trialling super-convoys in the UK - where a truck or van
equipped with the right electronics controls 5 or 6 trailing cars using driver
aids an auto pilot.

I'm told it's a success so far (by someone working on the project) so it might
not be utter bunk to transfer it to planes - who already make extensive use of
"driver aids" and auto pilots.

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quellhorst
There is something called a rail road that does similar things but requires
less tech and is still safer.

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iseff
If you believe this could be the future, there seems to be a business in
creating the routing/scheduling algorithms for where/when planes should meet
up to fly in formation.

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GraffitiTim
They should just have each plane fly behind a flock of geese.

