Our superjumbo will save the planet, Airbus says

[whopis01]

Source: Reuters

Airbus attempted a green-friendly makeover of its A380 superjumbo on Tuesday, saying the world's largest airliner could save the planet.

Airbus's top executives began referring to the A380 as a "gentle giant" on the eve of the world's largest air show this week and issued a brochure describing the benefits to the environment of the quiet and efficient 555-seat plane.

Airbus marketers have previously coined a long list of superlatives for the A380 which staged its inaugural flight in 2005, but have never before so clearly stated its green ambitions.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL1981306620070619?feedType=RSS&rpc=22

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Yeah, that's what is going to save the planet - more gigantic airplanes.

Can I have a glass of kool-aid to wash that down?

[Earth_First]

1. While using less fuel per passenger than it's smaller counterparts...

Our planet is faced with far greater problems than fuel efficient international travel.

[Posteritatis]

3. Hey, every little bit helps. (nt)

[cobalt1999]

6. actually, it could use more fuel.

Large planes encourage the existing hub & spoke system making most people take two flight to get someplace. I happen to agree with Boeings vision of the dreamliner doing more point to point trips efficiently.

[Solo_in_MD]

10. From what I have read it will be less efficient than its Boeing competitior

Airbus seems to have shot itself in the foot this time.

[hatrack]

2. Uh . . . .yeah, . .. OK!

:eyes:

[Make7]

4. So a plane is going to prevent the Sun from turning into a white dwarf star....

... in five billion years? I'd be interested in the details.

:) Make7

[whopis01]

5. from what I read

This plane is capabable of interstellar travel and comes with a towing package that has a max load of 5,973,600,000,000,000,000,000,000kg. So the plan was to just hitch up and fly away.

Or maybe that was just some crap I made up... I can't really remember.

[Make7]

7. With the advances in carbon nano-tube ribbon cable, I can see this happening.

Perhaps this could save the humans from their global temperature change problems as well.

When the temperature becomes too high, just pull the Earth into an orbit a little further from the Sun. I imagine that would cool things down sufficiently, and the planet could always be "towed" to a closer position if an increase in temperature is necessary at some point.

I do not see any possible problems with, or obstacles to, this proposal at all.

Global warming solved.

:) Make7

[hogwyld]

8. Yeah I guess it could be true

If you put enough of these behomoth's in the sky, they'll effectively blot out the sun, and presto, global cooling...

[rayofreason]

9. The seats will recycle passenger methane.

Just one more little green feature from the fine folks at Airbus

[truthisfreedom]

11. Planes would be a perfect place to start using hydrogen as fuel.

Much smaller infrastructure, to start with. Dedicated planes could be used between two destinations and only two hydrogen systems would have to be in place at first, to test the idea.

[Canuckistanian]

12. Hydrogen is NOT a fuel

Hydrogen is not a naturally occuring substance and has to be produced, using vast amounts of energy.

Hydrogen can only be considered a "battery" or an energy STORING substance.

And I'm afraid the amount of hydrogen needed to power a plane would be horribly expensive and therefore a show-stopper.