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Does flying use more gas than driving?

While most people think driving a car is better for the environment than flying in an airplane, that's not necessarily true because airplane engines are getting much more efficient.



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In 2012, the most recent year counted, driving one person one mile took 4,211 BTUs, while flying required just 2,033. The numbers for driving are based on the average fuel economy of all light-duty vehicles (that's passenger cars, SUVs, pickups, and vans, which averaged 21.6 mpg), using data from the US DOT.

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So, if you're traveling with three or more people, driving is the better option, and here's why: Three people on the cross-country flight would account for 1.86 tons of carbon emissions (0.62 tons of CO2 x 3), compared to the total 1.26 tons of carbon the vehicle would produce (ignoring that the extra weight would ...

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A family of five may find a road trip more economical than buying plane tickets, she said. However, if only one or two people are going on the trip, driving may not be the more affordable option once gas and food are factored in.

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While most people think driving a car is better for the environment than flying in an airplane, that's not necessarily true because airplane engines are getting much more efficient.

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Finally, the plane is the most polluting means of transport and the one that generates the most greenhouse emissions.

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Just exactly how bad is flying really? Air travel accounts for 2.5% of global carbon emissions. In the US, flying accounted for 8% of transportation emissions, but less than 3% of total carbon emissions.

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Airfare should be less affected by high fuel prices than gas-powered road trips. Driving could still be best over short distances or with a large group. Keep the high cost of renting a car (to drive to your destination or when you arrive after a flight) in mind.

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When an airplane experiences less drag, it consumes less fuel. This relationship between speed and fuel consumption means that flying at a slightly slower speed can result in significant fuel savings for airlines, which in turn can lower operating costs and potentially reduce ticket prices for passengers.

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Unfortunately, truly sustainable air travel is not yet possible. While fuel economy is improving throughout the aviation industry, flying is still inherently carbon-intensive.

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The cramped conditions and long periods of being less active on a flight can cause pain, stiffness or swelling of your legs. Being less active can lead to slow blood flow in your veins which increases your risk of developing a blood clot, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

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Flight cancellations, delays, lost baggage, smaller seats, higher prices, fuller flights, more connections, fewer destinations. For passengers, air travel gets more and more miserable by the year. Meanwhile, bankruptcies and mergers have meant competition is at an ebb.

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Rail transport may well be the most environmentally responsible way to travel, other than walking and biking.

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Airlines find that fuel dumping can actually be cheaper than not dumping in certain circumstances. But it's not something pilots do on a routine basis. We spoke with Alison Duquette, spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), who assured us that it doesn't happen very often.

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It would seem strange that pilots would purposefully dump fuel from their aircraft at a time when fuel prices have skyrocketed. What's more bizarre is that they do it in the air while flying. Tossing fuel into the air is a safe procedure for a good reason. Additionally, it is not as wasteful as it seems.

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A plane like a Boeing 747 uses approximately 1 gallon (about 4 liters) of fuel every second. Over the course of a 10-hour flight, it might burn 36,000 gallons (150,000 liters). The 747 burns approximately 5 gallons of fuel per mile (12 liters of fuel per kilometer).

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Breaking 500 hours is a huge milestone for job opportunities. Once you get past that point, it gets a lot easier to secure an entry level position as a professional pilot. Many listings require at least 500 hours TT, but that doesn't mean you can't apply with less experience.

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Remember that anything over 6 hours flying time is considered long haul, but flights of longer than 10 hours are not uncommon either. One important thing to remember is to keep your seat belt fastened at all times in case of unexpected turbulence.

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The amount of time you need will vary depending on a variety of factors, including your own comfort level. In general, I try to avoid layovers with less than an hour for domestic flights and layovers with less than two hours for international flights. But remember, even that might not be enough time.

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Inside Kylie Jenner's US$73 million Kylie Air private jet: the pink aircraft is truly fit for a billionaire with seven-course meals, Hermès blankets for little Stormi, and even KylieSkin amenities. Kylie Jenner was once upon a time the world's youngest self-made billionaire.

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