Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertSmalls
In other words, this aircraft has the aerodynamic drag of ten Honda Insights*.
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A fascinating perspective and context.
There was supposed to be a major shift from the hub and spoke system which involves longer and longer delays, bottle necks and other air travel problems. Smaller fuel efficient planes utilizing secondary airports/strips, and aircraft like the ill-fated Eclipse 500 were supposed to be part of this master plan.
Publication Date: June 19, 2001
Amazon.com: Free Flight: From Airline Hell to a New Age of Travel (9781586480400): James Fallows: Books
Prior of 9/11/2001 NASA was promoting this shift in air travel, but I assume security concerns of more but smaller planes in the air and additional check points has put it all on hold.
The reason I mention this is that the air routes are not so direct, and the stops don't often match the destinations, meaning longer trips burning more fuel.
In addition, the circling in circles to get an opportunity to land, and the waiting on the tarmac for a chance to take off, burn many more millions of gallons of fuel, and all wasted for not.