The CleanEra project is a recently formed group is seeking to Their goals include a plane that would emit 50 percent less carbon dioxide, as well as producing less noise and fewer pollutants than current planes do.

In addition to the more fanciful and exotic image of green flying saucers, the engineers are also looking at more prosaic elements as part of their approach. The current design of airplanes remains fairly unchanged, even through new generations of aircraft. Engineers are concerned that new and radically different approaches are needed to get the improvements they are looking for. Some elements that are being explored include using propellers instead of jets, using more composite materials, and exploring the use of biofuels for aircraft. Another option is one of our favorites here at EcoGeek, airships:

"One solution might be to save fuel by shuttling vacationers in a slower, lower-flying aircraft, but then "start the party on board," de Haan suggested. It wouldn't be a flying saucer, but rather a cruise ship in the sky. "

via: Bruce Sterling's Beyond the Beyond

See Also:
-Aircraft Design 3000 Times Quieter, 35% More Efficient-
-9 Steps to Green Flight-

Comments (2)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

...
written by disdaniel , August 07, 2007

Looks great, but I'm already getting dizzy--oh wait you said saucer...not frisbee

Why not start with what we got?
written by Ho , August 10, 2007

Planning for future eco-air travel is great. But what about solving some basic problems of pollution that most airlines do right now. Like recycling, nearly all planes I've been on recently throw EVERYTHING away, including aluminum cans, plastic plates and utensils, headphones, and blankets. While more economical in the short term, this is the disasterous thinking that is ruining our environment right before our eyes!

Write comment

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

Add Comment