Introduction
In recent years, the low fuel cost has sustained airline profitability. Still, after an increase in prices, now the airline industry is being forced to take initiatives to save on fuel consumption. Weight reductions and drag are among the initiatives taken to save on fuel consumption. Weight reductions are measurable and direct fuel efficiency techniques. Drags deals with forces which oppose motion through the air.
Weight
New manufacturing strategies have made great performance and carbon brakes, which are light. Engineers keep trying to upgrade light aircraft materials and the ones which won’t compromise safety and strength as well. Manufactures tend to use carbon-fiber composites because they are lighter compared to aluminum alloys. Using carbon-fiber compounds instead of metal in building wings got various benefits. Air pollution will be reduced, and the furls consumption can be cut by almost five percent. However, it’s a bit expensive because a pound goes for about $10.
Using efficient engines is another way that helps in weight reduction. Researchers have created hybrid-electric engines and engines which are lighter. For example, the newly developed Honeywell’s Hybrid-Electric Turbogenerator is comprised of backups and on-board batteries. The goal of the well-equipped engine is to offer additional safety. The various rotors enable safe landing in case the other one fails. The traditional helicopters which consumed a lot of fuel had one engine and one rotor, and this a bit dangerous. The low fuel consumption indicates that less burning of fuel hence fewer emissions of the carbon. Therefore, the engine is environmentally friendly.
Drag
Drag reduction is another form of reducing fuel consumption. Minimizing the lift-to-drag ratio makes the aircraft aerodynamically efficient hence decreasing the fuel consumption. Engineers develop various techniques to reduce drag. Some of the opinions likely to reduce drag are thicker fuselages, which tends to increase the airflow and long and slim wings. The installation of the smaller surfaces helps to minimize the airflow and the wingtips. Another technique that makes drag reduction possible it’s through a double bubble that relocates engine to the top towards the tail hence decreasing drag and increasing fuel efficiency. The design of the wings and engines determines the emission of the carbon.
The gaps seals have as well being used in the drag reduction strategy. The gaps between the control surfaces help in controlling the directions of the plane. Ari flows from high pressies to areas with low pressure, and this increased drag. To curb this issue, manufacturers have developed the new technique of sealing the gaps. The safety will be assured and the fuel usage as well. When two surfaces are in contact, interference drag creates forms behind the trailing edge. This occurs on gear, wing, and the struts. The interference drag can be reduced through fairings to enable flow air sufficiently to save on fuel. All these operations help in reducing drag, which reduces fuel consumption as well. However, a lot is incurred to make this possible in terms of money. New technologies should be adopted. Biomimicry is a new technology that can be applied to reduce drag by modifying on wings shape.
Conclusion
Its good for the aircraft industry to keep on developing new ways to save fuel consumption. Less weight means that less fuel will be used, and the same applies to the drag. It’s, therefore, suitable for the manufacturers to be ready to come up with new ways that improve fuel-efficient, conserving the environment, and enhancing safety.