Slashdot Mirror
Airplane Coatings Help Recoup Fuel Efficiency Lost To Bug Splatter
MTorrice writes: When bugs hit the wings of oncoming airplanes, they create a problem. Their blood, called hemolymph, sticks to an airplane's wings, disrupting the smooth airflow over them and reducing the aircraft's fuel efficiency. To fight the problem, NASA is working on developing a coating that could help aircraft repel bug remains during flight. After experimenting with almost 200 different formulations, researchers recently flight-tested a few promising candidates. Results showed that they could reduce the amount of stuck bug guts on the wings by up to 40%. With further optimization, NASA says such coatings could allow planes to use 5% less fuel.
First of all - where do I pick up one of these guns:
"To test these materials in the lab, researchers developed a pneumatic launcher to fire living bugs at a sample coating. They first used crickets as ammunition, but a physicist colleague urged them to switch to fruit flies, which would be more representative of what planes hit during takeoff and landing."
Second - I hope they develop a clear coating as I would like it on my motorcycle visor.
It's not weight, it's maintaining laminar flow. It only takes very small objects to turbulate the boundary layer, increasing drag considerably.
American corporations will instead do the following.
Get a government grant for the coatings, claim the actual full purchase price at full retail as the cost and pass that cost to ticket buyers.
Use the 5% fuel savings as a ,"we are saving the planet.... see? SEE?" advertising campaign.
Also add the costs of the advertising to the ticket prices.
Profits go up an additional 75%, claim they need more government subsidies.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Under every summary, there's a small puzzle of colored blocks. Looks like it says "bird fucking", but I don't get it.