In reply to Wesley Bruce's message of Mon, 12 Feb 2007 00:22:44 +1100: Hi, [snip] >Harry Veeder wrote: >We are still a long way away from electric air craft with two >exceptions. Solar electric drones or airships and hybrid aircraft. If
There is no need for electric planes at all. Chemists can easily make jet fuel from Biological energy sources, though perhaps not very efficiently. Furthermore, using betteries in cars would free up lots of existing hydrocarbons for use in jet fuel. Consequently jets will probably be the last remaining users of hydrocarbons. At least until we conquer anti-gravity, at which point they will also be replaced, because AG craft can be powered from an electrical source, which in turn can be derived from CF. Of course something like a NERVA/jet engine cross, where the power is supplied by CF might also eliminate hydrocarbon consumption in jets. Regards, Robin van Spaandonk http://users.bigpond.net.au/rvanspaa/ Competition provides the motivation, Cooperation provides the means.
