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Air Force Lab Test Out "Aircraft Surfing" Technique To Save Fuel
coondoggie writes "It's not a totally new concept, but the Air Force is testing the idea of flying gas-guzzling cargo aircraft inline allowing the trailing aircraft to utilize the cyclonic energy coming off the lead plane — a concept known as vortex surfing — over long distances to save large amounts of fuel. According to an Air force release, a series of recent test flights involving two aircraft at a time, let the trailing aircraft surf the vortex of the lead aircraft, positioning itself in the updraft to get additional lift without burning extra fuel."
Change positions every so often. It's more fun that way. ;)
You can switch lead on-the-fly.
(They were actually sparrow scratches, but never mind that.)
I think you are attending the wrong dance clubs ...
"Flame away, I wear asbestos underwear"
We're caught in his jetwash! Flame out! We're going in a flat spin! Eject! Eject! Hightway to the danger zone!
Obviously they didn't have their ducks in a row.
It also works for swimming. Swimmers do it, dolphins do it...even educated, bees, oh never mind.
The Waterfowl Association will file suit for Patent violation and Trade Secret violations.
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
I think it is learned behaviour of not flying in the poop-stream of the bird directly in front of you.
It will be tied into the aircrafts autopilot system, thus being done "with a computer" thus invalidating any prior art and qualifying for patent protection for that reason as well.
Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
racing leagues that turn right and have drivers and fans educated enough to read.
Q) What has two hundred legs and twelve teeth?
A) The front row at a Willie Nelson concert.
It will be tied into the aircrafts autopilot system, thus being done "with a computer" thus invalidating any prior art and qualifying for patent protection for that reason as well.
It'll be okay as long as the planes don't have rounded edges thus inciting apple's rage... oh wait... nevermind.
But then you'd be robin us all of the joy of these puns.
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not entirely sure about the universe - Einstein
A true racing fan would be educated enough to not watch NASCAR.
FTFY
Is 1563649 a prime number?
Q. How do you know a redneck invented the toothbrush?
A. Anyone else would have called it a teethbrush