this post was submitted on 11 Sep 2023
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Mildly Interesting

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This is for strictly mildly interesting material. If it's too interesting, it doesn't belong. If it's not interesting, it doesn't belong.

This is obviously an objective criteria, so the mods are always right. Or maybe mildly right? Ahh.. what do we know?

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[–] gowan@reddthat.com 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Source for that claim please?

[–] Fox@pawb.social 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] gowan@reddthat.com 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Your source talks about the consumption once it is off the ground. My understanding is that taking off requires more energy than maintaining height and speed like it works for literally every other vehicle.

What does flying 300 miles look like in terms of fuel consumption

[–] Fox@pawb.social 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Of course, takeoff and climb are typically at full power but to reach cruising altitudes for a single engine airplane doesn't take very long. It's a similar concept to a car on a highway onramp, except that airplanes actually get more efficient at higher altitudes.

It factors into overall consumption but it doesn't really blow the whole equation for efficiency. Pilots in training do takeoffs and landings on repeat for hours at a stretch between refueling.