3 ms·
They only recently got around to adding electric wheels to airplanes[1], which may save up to 1.1 billion dollars annually since using jet engines to move a few
by hwillis 9y ago
They only recently got around to adding electric wheels to airplanes[1], which may save up to 1.1 billion dollars annually since using jet engines to move a few mph is like, zero efficient.
[1]: http://gizmodo.com/these-little-electric-wheels-will-save-airlines-big-buc-1471288948 http://gizmodo.com/these-little-electric-wheels-will-save-ai...
- jacquesm 9y agoAdded benefit: spin up the wheels prior to landing to reduce wear on the tires when they first touch the ground.
- matheweis 9y ago... and then make them regenerative, capturing the braking energy into supercapacitors.
- brian-armstrong 9y agoAirplane wheels don't really do any substantial braking. Thrust reversers and aerodynamic friction do the work there.
- woodandsteel 9y agoWow, that is a great idea. I mean, propelling a vehicle at 5 mph using jet engines optimized for 600 mph has to be one of the most energy inefficient means ever invented.