Thread: Britain to ban diesel and petrol vehicles

**** stirrer Eevo, you know it won't, I know it won't , but with the right technology it will.

the challenge to build a model light enough to fly well on batteries is the same as for a 747 but on a different scale.

the technology is probably there already.....the cost to introduce it is another thing.

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

**** stirrer Eevo, you know it won't, I know it won't , but with the right technology it will.

the challenge to build a model light enough to fly well on batteries is the same as for a 747 but on a different scale.

the technology is probably there already.....the cost to introduce it is another thing.

the technology isnt there.

An empty 747 weighs in at over 270 tones and are capable of taking off at over 400 tones and has over 55,000lb of thrust.
A RC electric plane is probably less than 1kg and usually has a maximum flying time of 20-30 min, Not exactly the same thing I would say.

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

Trout, goto your nearest model flying club and tell them you don't believe aeroplanes can fly on batteries.

Not many transcontinental electric powered passenger aircraft at the local model aircraft club.

Oh, you just reminded me, I have an electric 4WD. It's range ain't too good though. And it takes a lot longer to charge than the drive time.

This debate about electric aircraft etc etc...

Reminds me about the debate about electric trains and prior to that, diesel electrics versus steam...

Sadly the introduction of diesels didnt save anything except the wage bill, less workers but sadly diesels dont have much power thus more diesel locos but same crew could operate multiple units... So end result no real fuel savings just less workers...

Then we get onto electrics... Electricity is still produced by coal and water and then there is the loss's from transformers and distance of transmission lines...

So have we progressed or just reduced the number of people employed and played into the hands of the money grabbers...

1x Steam loco will always produce more power than 1x diesel or electric loco, but hey it will make the washing on the line dirty when passing...

If it means fewer speed humps then I'm in favour.

The Breakdown: Britain's petrol and diesel ban

It wasn't so long ago people said battery power tools were no good, but now everyone uses them.

Originally Posted by Wraithe

........

Sadly the introduction of diesels didnt save anything except the wage bill,..........

Not strictly correct - they also save a lot of money because of their higher availability - a diesel requires less down time, and importantly can be started from cold in a matter of minutes, where a steam engine takes hours to start from cold. And I'm not too certain you are right about the lack of fuel savings either - especially when considering the amount of time a steam engine may be standing by with steam raised. And diesel does not require provision and maintenance of watering facilities everywhere - a substantial issue in a country as arid as Australia.

And electric locomotives have even greater availability, although against that is the cost and maintenance of the track wiring, which will depend heavily oon how much traffic you consider over what distance.

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

**** stirrer Eevo, you know it won't, I know it won't , but with the right technology it will.

the challenge to build a model light enough to fly well on batteries is the same as for a 747 but on a different scale.

the technology is probably there already.....the cost to introduce it is another thing.

Yes there have been electric planes fly... even full size ones. It wouldn't surprise me if we see light electric aircraft in the future.. However getting large transport aircraft working with electrics is another step all together. Maybe it's possible in the future, but it's a loooooong way off.

There are sooo many problems that would need to be solved on an airliner. Even if you managed to get equivalent energy density of batteries to fuel, there is the concept that a plane that has no fuel (no charge) would weigh the same as a plane full of fuel (full charge). That means that they wouldn't get lighter as they flew, which means increased fuel usage for the whole flight, as well as the little curve ball of being too heavy to land.

So, not only do you have to solve the problems of getting an electric propulsion system working, you've got a whole heap of tricky aerodynamic issues to resolve. Let alone the problem of how to keep batteries and electric motors working in the super harsh environment (think -20 or more celsius) of an airliner, while ensuring perfect reliability.