Why is flying more efficient than driving?

Do airplanes become more fuel efficient as they fly to their destination? In the sense that they burn less fuel per minute to get there, yes. That's because as they burn fuel along the flight, they get lighter. Less weight requires less lift to compensate that.



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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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The airline industry has cut BTUs per passenger mile 74% compared to 17% for automakers. Another reason airplanes are a more energy efficient way to travel is because – as every passenger knows – people are crammed into airplanes and there are fewer empty seats.

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Airplanes are fast and efficient because they can operate in a low friction environment. There are no wheels (at least in flight) that have to be constantly be rolled over the ground, and at higher altitude the air is thinner which reduces air drag dramatically.

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A Boeing 747 filled with passengers to only 75 percent capacity is more fuel-efficient than an automobile with a driver and one passenger in terms of fuel burn per passenger mile. Hard to believe, isn't it?

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Aviation is responsible for between 2pc and 3pc of global carbon emissions. And Ms Thunberg continues to refuse to fly because of the impact on the environment.

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In fact, when choosing between planes, trains, and automobiles, Americans prefer traveling by plane least. A survey of 2,000 Americans revealed that three in four (73%) people feel that road tripping is a much more pleasant experience than flying.

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Whether flying at night or during the day, pilots need to see some kind of horizon. They use this to determine the airplane's attitude. At night pilots will turn their gaze from outside to inside and use the artificial horizon. The artificial horizon is normally a simply globe split into two hemispheres.

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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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For one, there is a much greater concentration of cars on most highways and roads, which means that there is a much greater chance of accidents and collisions happening due to the number of cars driving close to each other. On the other hand, there is much less concentration of airplanes in the air at any given time.

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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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And the point isn't that you'd be better off flying to your office five miles away than driving there. But, over long-distance trips where you might realistically pick between the two modes, flying is on average the more energy-efficient option.

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Planes have lower oxygen levels If this didn't happen, everyone inside the plane would die, as the low air pressure at the elevations planes fly (typically 35,000 feet or so) means there isn't enough oxygen present for your body to function.

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Although air contains 20.9% oxygen at all altitudes, lower air pressure at high altitude makes it feel like there is a lower percentage of oxygen.

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And that at cabin altitudes above 14,000 feet pilots must use oxygen at all times. And that above 15,000 feet each occupant of the aircraft must be provided supplemental oxygen. All of this is spelled out in Federal Aviation Regulations Part 91.211.

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