Scientists Unveil ‘Silent, Energy-Efficient Plane’
Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 11.07.06 | 8:06 AM ET
It’s good news as concern grows about the environmental impact of jet travel. From the Guardian: “Plans for a silent, energy-efficient plane which could take to the sky in less than 25 years’ time were unveiled this afternoon by scientists,” writes Hillary Osborne. “On a typical flight the plane, which has been designed by scientists from Cambridge University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will achieve the same kind of fuel efficiency as a Toyota Prius.” Check the Silent Aircraft Initiative for details.
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Michael Yessis is the cofounder and coeditor-in-chief of World Hum.
ForsythSEO 11.09.06 | 5:40 PM ET
The researchers are testing a design for an energy-efficient airfoil, or wing. In flight, air should flow smoothly and uninterrupted over the wing. A choppy, or turbulent, flow of air over a wing increases drag, and the plane has to work harder, using more energy. The researchers use infrared thermography to detect whether airflow over the wing is turbulent, which the researchers want to avoid. Very sensitive infrared cameras provide images of the air as it flows over the wing.