Monday, March 18, 2019

The connection between fuel economy and aircraft engineering

Scott Beale feels that he cannot stress enough just how important fuel economy is in the aviation industry. Over the years, engineers, researchers, and scientists have experimented, researched, and tried countless ways of creating fuel-efficient aircraft.

Image source: aviation.stackexchange.com
Jet fuel has been reported to be the leading source of energy used in the United States, as it takes up a little under half of the entire energy consumption. The amount of energy to come out of jet fuel in the U.S. is so staggering that the output of electricity, the second most-used energy source in the country, only amounts to less than half of that.

Researchers and engineers have looked to fuel efficiency in cars and other road vehicles to modify aircraft. Although there has been a bit of success in the area, jets still use a gallon of fuel for every half-to-quarter-mile, depending on the aircraft. To put things in perspective, Scott Beale mentions the current hybrid car which travels more or less 50 miles for every gallon of fuel.

Image source: airbus.com

While alternative sources of energy are still out of the question (no alternative energy source can come close to powering a Boeing 787), there are viable options that aircraft engineers are looking into. Biofuels is one of the leading alternatives, since not only is it good for airplane engines, biofuels are also great for the environment.

Aviation professionalScott Beale piloted the successful business turnaround of Aerodynamics, Inc., increasing the company’s profitability with new business and diversification efforts as its CEO from 2011 to 2015. For more aviation-related reads, visit this blog.

Fun facts about airplanes that you probably didn’t know

The airplane is one of the most important inventions of the 20th century, effectively transforming relations among nations and leading to the growth of the global economy and globalization. But while we tend to take this aviation marvel for granted nowadays, here are some facts and trivia that you probably didn’t know about the ubiquitous airplane, compiled by aviation specialist Scott Beale.

Image source: travelup.co.uk

Firstly, did you know that pilots and their co-pilots are not allowed to eat the same meals? While not mandated by the FAA, a lot of airlines actually impose this rule as a way to ensure that there’s always a healthy pilot on board just in case one meal gets tainted.


The air inside airplanes is close to the atmosphere of the middle of the Sahara. Yes, it’s that dry, caused by pressurized cabin air that’s kept below 20% humidity. This is why your throat feels like there’s sandpaper in it when you’re in the air.
Image source: thrillist.com

It’s actually impossible for passengers to lock themselves in a plane’s bathroom. You probably notice the switch for the lavatory turned off and on before takeoff and landing, and it’s up to flight controllers to flip it open at any time, so don’t get ideas like smoking in the toilet.

Finally, have you ever noticed that little hole in the bottom of a plane window? That’s called the breather hole, says aviation expert Scott Beale. It’s there to regulate the pressure, to keep warm air in and make sure that the outside pressure won’t break the plane’s inner pane.

Aviation expert Scott Beale has been working in the aviation industry for more than 20 years, successfully growing businesses which he acquired and founded. He has led various aviation firms in attaining growth in revenues. Visit this blog for other interesting reads on aviation.