Skip to main content

Tagged With "Alternative fuels"

Reply

Re: Wonders of the Modern World

DrFumblefinger ·
The Soviets have never been completely transparent about Chernobyl, but this is the story as best as I was able to synthesize it: It seems that the alarm system was malfunctioning (going off all the time) so it was turned off by the tech monitoring the system. He had the fuel rods pulled out of their cooling chambers for maintenance work, was distracted (remember, the alarms are off), then by the time he focused back on the task at hand the rods had begun to melt and couldn't be reinserted...
Comment

Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #11

Paul Heymont ·
PortMoresby put the finger on what made this one hard. It was the ancient-days equivalent of being asked to identify a free-standing Barnes and Noble store, or an Exxon station. Easy to know what it is, not so easy to know where . What's been fun in these is watching people dig out bits and pieces that then fuel other folks' guesses. WorkerBee has done that a number of times; in this case, even though T&N doesn't play as a guesser, the geological analysis of the stones was a stunning...
Comment

Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #15

DrFumblefinger ·
It's time to add a little fuel to this dying campfire. So here's another clue. If Gumbo turns 45 degrees towards the right, this is what Gumbo sees. So, where do you think Gumbo is?
Comment

Re: Airbus Survey: 41% Willing to Pay for More Space

FlashFlyer ·
Well, so far I've gotten by in what they give me, but I'm old enough to know the difference and might wanna change up someday. And I'd sure rather pay for real estate than baggage space or airline food. Give me one bag free, no soda or peanuts, no movie, no blanket and especially no airline magazine...and hey, I'll spend $50 or so to spread out a couple or three inches! Ever stop to think about those magazines? They're printed on heavy stock, a real weight-bomb, you only read them if you...
Comment

Re: Is it a plane? Is it a Ship? City of St Petersburg, River Tyne.

Paul Heymont ·
I was so curious about this ship, I just had to look it up! Turns out to be a custom-built (for Nissan) roll-on/roll-off car carrier, designed to reduce fuel use by its aerodynamic shape. Here's a video about it...
Comment

Re: Banksy Opens up a Bemusement Park in England

Mac ·
Just a couple of dismal (!) iPhone photos to add fuel to the discussion...
Comment

Re: Airline fees hit new $7 billion record

GarryRF ·
I can get 2 weeks in an all inclusive Hotel in the Caribbean including flights for less than my Trans Atlantic flight UK - NY. Of course the US Traveler is getting ripped-off. The rest of the world is enjoying the benefits of cheap-fuel flights. The sooner Ryanair make inroads into the US the better. Maybe Mr O'Leary is guilty of copying the ideas mentioned above for adding on fees !
Comment

Re: Why tickets stay high while fuel prices drop

Paul Heymont ·
While it's true that competition and cupidity rather than cost are the basis of pricing, fuel does factor in: when fuel is high, the airlines add surcharges, and when fuel costs drop, they seldom remove them!
Comment

Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#77)

PortMoresby ·
Across the water looks all the world like an airport to me. Hangars, possibly a fuel truck and what appears to be a runway at the far right.
Comment

Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#77)

Mac ·
Certainly hangers but with quite low doors... A large fuel(?) bowser? Looks like a jet blast shield at the end of the runway and sea all around(?). Must have public access or just 'not secret' due to the ferry and Dr. F taking photos, so not military. Why does Dr F ask what the hanger shapes remind me of? It looks as if cars are in front of the hanger doors.. Is that logical? Are we talking seaplanes I wonder... but no slipway and why a runway? Head aches...
Comment

Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Sept. 4th, 2014: Trabant in Krakow Poland

Paul Heymont ·
My view: the Trabant was not a good car, but it was a great car. Huh? Well, it didn't have a powerful engine, its oil/gas mixture (like your lawnmower) was noisy and spewed fumes, etc. But, it also showcased a lot of engineering ingenuity and "get by" spirit of its makers. The fiberglass body was a first. The use of recycled materials was decades ahead of the rest of the world. Construction and repairs were simple, perhaps matched only by the Citroen 2CV. And you could never have a failed...
Comment

Re: What to expect from Air Travel in 2015

DrFumblefinger ·
I think North America is ready for the emergence of several new budget carriers, Rob. The drop in fuel prices now makes it all the more opportune. At least the lower fuel costs will hopefully take off some of the pressure on upward prices.
Comment

Re: As scheduled Cuba service nears, charter operators face unknown future

GarryRF ·
On leaving Cuba last year our flight home to the UK was delayed. We had to wait on the plane for 4 hours. The airport had run out of Jet Fuel A1. So a fuel tanker was dispatched to fetch some. I do hope the US embargo stops before I go again. I'm not fighting American Airlines for the last drop of Jet Fuel !!
Comment

Re: Airlines defend holding onto fuel surcharges

GarryRF ·
There is no excuse for collecting money for fuel surcharges. That's not what it is being used for. That's just dishonest and fraudulent. Which is what we expect from people who think they have a better use for other peoples money. It's just like taking unemployment benefit after you've gone back to work. Just not acceptable.
Comment

Re: Airlines defend holding onto fuel surcharges

DrFumblefinger ·
I agree with Garry. It is dishonest to call something a "fuel surcharge" when it's not used for that purpose. They should just make it part of the fare.
Comment

Re: In-flight refueling for airliners? Worth a look!

DrFumblefinger ·
Existing planes can travel half way around the world now, without refueling. For example, from Texas to Singapore. I'm not sure I see the point to this. Having a plane full of fuel flying around waiting to refuel another craft has to be expensive, and while the low risk of fire and such for the military might be acceptable, I'm not sure it is for commercial aviation. I'd rather have my plane refueled in the usual manner.
Comment

Re: In-flight refueling for airliners? Worth a look!

Paul Heymont ·
I agree on the preference for not being refueled that way...I'm not going to be sitting in an ejection seat with a parachute attached. But the reason they're interested in doing this is not without merit. The idea is that the plane that flies that long route could take off on a shorter runway (reduce load on existing airports, more operations per hour, use other airports that are not now long enough), or replace fuel weight with payload (cargo or passengers). The tankers, obviously, wouldn't...
Comment

Re: Will passengers be weighed like baggage?

DrFumblefinger ·
Definitely part of the dehumanizing of travel. We're going to be weighed like luggage, and not treated as individual beings. Personally I like the idea of my plane having a little extra fuel and not just the exact amount needed. What if there is a stronger than anticipated headwind? What if landing is delayed because of traffic congestion at the destination? Would we then land on a field or road to save a few bucks? It seems this might just be an academic exercise anyway. I read in the...
Comment

Re: Museum find: GE's 'missing' electric car

Paul Heymont ·
The argument, and I'm not informed enough to judge it, is that the amount of fossil fuel needed to generate electricity for a plug-in is far less than that required to run a gasoline engine. The same sort of argument that points out that a gallon of fuel moves far more freight on a diesel train than a diesel truck. On the other hand, that's about plug-in cars. For hybrids, it's a different story because the batteries charge while the car is running on gas. So less gas is used than using gas...
Comment

Re: Museum find: GE's 'missing' electric car

DrFumblefinger ·
I have some friends with a Prius, and their greatest fuel efficiency comes when driving in the city, not on the highway. Paradoxical, but it shows how good the braking is at building up a charge. Good to know there is a backup generator. While the hybrids save on fuel, they also cost thousands of dollars more than their non hybrid counterparts. For an average consumer, it takes many years to recapture that extra cost for the hybrid on fuel savings, if they ever will. And there's the issue of...
Comment

Re: Cost of Japan flights to plummet in 2016

GarryRF ·
With fuel charges at a 12 year low all the Air carriers should stop gouging the public and give us all a refund.
Comment

Re: American to drop seatback entertainment

Paul Heymont ·
DrF, not everyone has their own streaming service, but the theory is that nearly everyone has a screen, usually better resolution than the seatback. American is, in essence, providing a streaming service for those who don't have it. As for being small: those seatback screens go for north of $10,000 each because of all the issues involved in aircraft safety, etc. Not to mention the systems they are attached to. About $3 million average per plane saved this way, and American's order for the...
Comment

Re: Jetliner 'winglets' claim huge fuel savings

DrFumblefinger ·
I heard that these winglets reduce a plane's fuel consumption by about 10%. If so, it reaffirms my awe at human ingenuity. Such a small change can have such a big impact. Win-win-win all the way around!
Reply

Re: I get to Boomerang to Spain ! Cheap !

Paul Heymont ·
Well, but if Spain is the destination, passing up UK makes sense. On the other hand, APD leads to calculations such as Flying NYC-LON-Continental Europe: No problem; as long as your time in UK is less than 24 hours, you are a transit passenger and don't pay APD. Flying Continential Europe-LON-NYC: Not so good; you pay the APD on the trans-Atlantic leg, and that's high. The other issue with this is not APD at all; flying to the Continent through Madrid or Barcelona tends to be cheaper because...
Reply

Re: I get to Boomerang to Spain ! Cheap !

Former Member ·
Garry RF and PHeymont - Thank you very much for the information. In this case, APD is not incurred - Flying NYC-LON-Continental Europe: No problem; as long as your time in UK is less than 24 hours, you are a transit passenger and don't pay APD. In this case, there is an APD, even if the transit is less than 24 hours ? - Flying Continential Europe-LON-NYC: Not so good; you pay the APD on the trans-Atlantic leg, and that's high. Concerning the third item, this explains why Worker Bee had a...
Comment

Re: Don't Expect Things to Work Like Home

PortMoresby ·
It's been long enough since my residence in PR that I seem to be craving a trip back. Having lived in Isla Verde & Santurce, I've wanted to return for a stay in Old San Juan. You've just added fuel to that desire, JL.
Blog Post

Delta joins the mixed fleets with big Airbus order

Paul Heymont ·
The days of all-Boeing domestic fleets seem over as Delta joins American and United in mixing Airbus into its fleet. In Delta's case, this is reflected in a new nearly $15 billion order for 50 A350 and A330neo widebody planes. The A350 is Airbus's...
Blog Post

Airbus A380. No new customers in 2014

DrFumblefinger ·
Apparently the massive two level Airbus A380, capable of passenger loads in excess of 600 passengers, failed to generate a single new customer in 2014, according to this story by Bloomberg Businessweek.   The only buyer so far this year was a...
Blog Post

$240 NY-London, LA $320: Norwegian Air

Paul Heymont ·
Norwegian Air Shuttle, a low-cost carrier that has begun flying trans-Atlantic from Oslo now plans to offer service by this summer to NYC and LA from London Gatwick. The announced fares are $240 each way to NY and $320 to LA--less than half the cost...
Blog Post

The Valley Island of Maui: 3) Central, Upcountry and South Maui

DrFumblefinger ·
 The largest stretch of (relatively) flat land on Maui is the valley between the two volcanoes, Haleakala and the West Maui Mountains.  This area is commonly called “Central Maui” and it’s here most locals live....
Blog Post

Time to Try the 787 Dreamliner! Round Trip to Norway in May- June for $334.50 Total

Travel Rob ·
This is an exceptional  price for a round trip ticket to Europe from Florida in May- June from Norwegian. $334.50 round trip including all taxes and fuel surcharges. If that's not enough to motivate you ,it's non stop and on Boeing's 787...
Blog Post

Gumbo's Pic of the Day, January 15th, 2015: Winter Flowers ?

GarryRF ·
  Flowers in Winter.   Todays Picture of the Day comes with a question. Thanks to "Climate Change" this Rose is happy to flower in January. That's today - 15 January 2015. It's in Liverpool, England where I live. 2 years ago...
Blog Post

SQUEEEZE, Please! United pushes in more seats

Paul Heymont ·
United Airlines has almost completed its installation of new seats throughout its fleet; the new slimline seats are also set closer together (as close as 30" pitch in some planes) and give United the equivalent of 14 more planes worth of space,...
Blog Post

Emirates adds Orlando; more fuel on Open Skies fire?

Paul Heymont ·
Emirates, the largest of the Gulf carriers, has announced it will start a daily flight between Dubai and Orlando, starting September 1, using a B777.   The expansion comes at a time U.S. carriers are lobbying hard for limits on expansion into the...
Blog Post

AA flight delays blamed on pilot iPad crash

Paul Heymont ·
American Airlines, the first airline to ditch huge paper pilot flight books for iPads, has had a little trouble with them this week. The airline reports that 24 flights on Tuesday (4/28) and 50 more yesterday were delayed by failure of an app that...
Blog Post

United "right-sizes" its fleet; who's next?

Paul Heymont ·
United Airlines has just announced a whole bunch of swaps and changes in its fleet, based on changed priorities and preferences. Among the key changes: more wide-body domestic service, swapping some 787 orders for 777s, and phasing out the 50-seaters...
Blog Post

Alaska Airlines adds alcohol...to its engines

Paul Heymont ·
Alaska Airlines is signed up to become the first to use Gevo Inc.s alcohol-based jet fuel as soon as it completes testing and certification. The hope is to be able to reduce pollution, reduce swings in fuel price, and have a steady, domestic source of...
Blog Post

"Poo-Powered" buses debut in Bristol, Oslo

Paul Heymont ·
Yes, the headline's real...buses powered by human waste are on the road, one in Bristol, and more than 100 in Oslo. They're diesel buses, powered by methane, the same as the natural gas-powered buses elsewhere...except that the methane in this case is...
Blog Post

Travelocity survey: What bugs you on road trips?

Paul Heymont ·
This may be one of the best road trip years ever, with much lower gas prices than over the past few...and Travelocity's new survey of 1000 potential vacationers says that 65% more are considering a road trip than were thinking about it last year....
Blog Post

Flying Round-the-World with no fuel!

Paul Heymont ·
Two veteran Swiss pilots are at nearly the midpoint of a round-the-world flight on the Solar Impulse 2, a solar-powered plane with a wingspan greater than a 747's. Among other reasons for the huge wingspan is to make possible use of 17,000 solar cells...
Blog Post

Are airline alliances costing you $$$ on flights to Europe?

Paul Heymont ·
According to consumer advocate Chris Elliott, writing in Fortune, the answer is a big yes. He pinpoints the growth of the big three alliances (SkyTeam, OneWorld and Star), and the agreements among alliance members to coordinate services between the...
Blog Post

A Price War over Trans-Atlantic? TravelGumbo interviews Norwegian Air

Travel Rob ·
                                                                  ...
Blog Post

US Airlines Case Against Gulf -Carriers Goes Public

Travel Rob ·
American, Delta ,and United had a press conference on  Thursday that made public the argument they've been making against Emirates,Qatar and Etihad . They stated those  airlines are violating the  fair-play terms of their...
Blog Post

The Future: A plane with NO window seats?

Paul Heymont ·
That could happen. Advances in electronics, combined with a goal of reducing aircraft weight and therefore fuel consumption, could bring us windowless planes within a decade, according to this article from the  GUARDIAN   (UK).   In the...
Blog Post

Why tickets stay high while fuel prices drop

Paul Heymont ·
You may have noted the recent drop in gas prices at the pump. The airlines have noticed it, too, with a $1.6 billion savings in fuel costs over recent months. So why do the prices of tickets stay so high...and even rise?   An AP travel article...
Blog Post

In-flight refueling for airliners? Worth a look!

Paul Heymont ·
It's long been routine for heavy bombers and other military aircraft, and researchers are now looking at the possibility of in-flight refueling for passenger liners. Pluses cited are the ability to cover greater distances without having to haul huge...
Blog Post

Fuel surcharges disappearing?

DrFumblefinger ·
Yes and no.  Some airlines are cutting back on their fuel surcharges, others are not.   Chinese airlines will stop fuel surcharges on domestic routes Feb 5th, as reported in this article on Reuters.     Others, like Canada's...
Blog Post

Airlines defend holding onto fuel surcharges

Paul Heymont ·
The airlines, stung by criticism that they are holding onto fuel surcharges even as fuel prices plummet, are making the argument that now that fuel is cheaper, they are able to spend the money—a billion a month by their estimate—on more...
Blog Post

Hawaiian Airlines gets restitution from drunk passenger

Paul Heymont ·
This time, it was the airline (and fellow passengers) who were abused.
Blog Post

American Airlines CEO: 'we'll never lose money again'

Paul Heymont ·
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker is sure his airline will never lose money again, but analysts are not so sure what would happen in a recession.
 
×
×
×
×