Aircraft are second only to motor vehicles in the use of motor fuels. Furthermore, air travel is growing twice as fast as highway travel. Clearly, the importance of energy use by commercial aircraft will continue to increase. Since 1970, air travel has more then tripled, but the growth of fuel use has been restrained by a near doubling of efficiency, from 26.2 seat miles per gallon (SMPG) in 1970 to about 49 SMPG in 1989. This paper explores the potential for future efficiency improvements via the replacement of existing aircraft with ''1990's generation'' and ''post 2000'' aircraft incorporating advances in engine and airframe technology. Today, new commercial passenger aircraft deliver 50--70 SMPG. New aircraft types scheduled for delivery in the early 1990's are expected to achieve 65--80 SMPG. Industry and government researchers have identified technologies capable of boosting aircraft efficiencies to the 100--150 SMPG range. Under current industry plans, which do not include a post-2000 generation of new aircraft, the total aircraft fleet should reach the vicinity of 65 SMPG by 2010. A new generation of 100--150 SMPG aircraft introduced in 2005 could raise the fleet average efficiency to 75--80 SMPG in 2010. In any case, fuel use will likely continue to grow at from 0.8%/y to 1.8%/y through 2010. 35 refs., 7 figs., 9 tabs.
Energy efficiency improvement potential of commercial aircraft to 2010
1990
67 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
Air Transportation , Energy Use, Supply, & Demand , Aircraft , Engines , Energy Efficiency , Aerodynamics , Comparative Evaluations , Design , Economic Analysis , Evaluation , Fuel Consumption , Fuel Economy , Manufacturers , Materials Testing , Mechanical Properties , Optimization , Planning , Technology Assessment , Thermodynamics , Transportation Sector , EDB/320201 , EDB/291000 , EDB/360103
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