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Why passenger jets could soon be flying in formation
- Kaibeezy 6y ago"They will be 1 1/2 to 2 nautical miles away from the leading aircraft, and slightly offset, which means they are on the side of the vortex. It's no longer the vortex, it's the smooth current of rotating air which is next to the vortex, and we use the updraft of this air." Taking advantage of the free lift in this updraft of air is called "wake-energy retrieval." ... on long-haul flights, fuel savings of between 5% and 10% may be achieved, "which is an enormous number."
- stevage 6y agoWow, so interesting. I'm really curious whether planes from rival airlines would cooperate to fly together like this. And if not, are there really so many situations where two planes from the same airline travel a long segment together at the same time?