Small, Hybrid Aircraft
A reader asked me to comment on this article featuring the promise of a “hybrid triplane” design that could be put into place by 2030, offering very low-cost intercity travel– “airfares cheaper than rail.” The plane (see artist’s rendering) has a total capacity of 19 passengers.
I honestly can’t think of a single thing that makes this at all credible. Air travel has to be safe, and closely monitored by government agencies. Even if the cost of fuel can be reduced, as is the claim, this will have very little effect on the overall cost per passenger.
This is akin to the piece I published about a month ago on the company that is developing personalized single person aircraft that it claims will replace automobile commuting to and from work. In other words, the skies will soon be filled with tens of millions of little airplanes piloted by people with 30-minutes’ virtual reality training and no pilot’s license. If that seems feasible, I’m not sure what to tell you.
ExxonMobil posted profits of $5.5 billion in Q2, more than twice that of Q1. Some people are calling for a windfall profits tax that would address the high price of gasoline.
I normally don’t write posts that feature gross generalities like that contained in the meme here, but this was too good to pass up.
American toddlers in the mid-1950s wore “baby shoes” like the pair shown here.
When my kids were little, I explained a summary of American politics to them like this:
A reader notes: “Go home now…We love you…You’re very special.” Q. Is that something you would say to somebody who just attacked your house??
Perhaps indeed.
This is an interesting observation.
