I'm working on a bunch of differing things this week that will be rolled out in the coming days and weeks. We're also working on a new design for the blog I think you'll really like. I finished up the new header yesterday and added gave representation to all four members of the B.A.B.E.. It should be ready to roll before Farnborough, which is creeping up on us rapidly.
If I had to shake my magic 8-ball today and ask if the price of oil is going to dominate Farnborough, the answer would almost certainly be: "Signs point to yes"
I added a new widget to the blog that tells you the current painful price of crude oil. With fuel this high, I just hope there's an industry to cover in a year. (Uncomfortable laugh)
Some important stories to take a look at:
How the Airlines Are Wasting Fuel
By Rick Seaney
ABC News
Oil Surge May Cost Jet Makers Orders
By J. Lynn Lunsford and Susan Carey
Wall Street Journal
Aerospace Notebook: MD-80 era winding down as fuel costs rise
By James Wallace
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Airlines facing shrinking pains as fuel prices surge
By Julie Johnsson
Chicago Tribune
If I had to shake my magic 8-ball today and ask if the price of oil is going to dominate Farnborough, the answer would almost certainly be: "Signs point to yes"
I added a new widget to the blog that tells you the current painful price of crude oil. With fuel this high, I just hope there's an industry to cover in a year. (Uncomfortable laugh)
Some important stories to take a look at:
How the Airlines Are Wasting Fuel
By Rick Seaney
ABC News
Oil Surge May Cost Jet Makers Orders
By J. Lynn Lunsford and Susan Carey
Wall Street Journal
Aerospace Notebook: MD-80 era winding down as fuel costs rise
By James Wallace
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Airlines facing shrinking pains as fuel prices surge
By Julie Johnsson
Chicago Tribune
Jon, as interesting as those links are, I'm almost sure the first is pointing to the same place as the third.
Is this correct?
Marcelo
All fixed!
That's what I get for multitasking.
Thanks,
Jon
Jon Great links but now the first and fourth link point to the same location. Wow I am reconsidering becoming a pilot now. Maybe an ATC?
All fixed...again.
That first article raises an interesting point about the benefits of flying point to point versus a hub and spoke model in terms of fuel burn. However, I think it takes a rather simplistic view in saying that because flying direct involves less track miles, it therefore is more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient. While this is certainly true in isolation, it needs to take a system-wide view of the problem.
While the hub and spoke system has the disadvantage of needing individual journeys to cover greater distances, it has the benefit of reducing the total number of flights. To use a simplistic example, imagine a network of 7 destinations, all of which have demand from one to the other. Using a hub and spoke system requires 6 return flights with relatively larger aircraft to fully connect the network. Using a point to point model requires 21 return flights with relatively smaller aircraft to fully connect the network. The question becomes which system is going to use the less fuel overall. There isn't a simple answer to this - it depends on a number of factors including geographic distribution of the destinations and the demand between individual destinations. There are going to be cases in which the point to point network will be much more effective, and there are going to be cases where the hub and spoke network will be much more effective.
Simply going to 100% point to point or 100% hub and spoke is not the solution.
Direct transatlantic flights from more cities in Europe will stop stupid concentration of transat flights from Heathrow.