New fuel for Shipping!

 Cheaper than the Electric engines for the New Year?

It is amazing that this has now been discovered and that battery powered tramps working on a loop keep steady power, something that could be adapted in the U.K. for the London Underground Circle line and also the clockwork orange in Glasgow in Scotland!

If investment could open the Hirwaun loop in south-Wales it would be an eye opener for travel and business, with many other applications in Cardiff and elsewhere?

Military drones are becoming more effective in the Ukraine and its security situation with Russia, but this is not same in the Middle-East, so one has to wonder is it really true or just British/European propaganda!

Despite all the advances, it looks like the U.S. will start mining coal again and the fossil fuel issues is not going away with the piracy of the high seas, driving prices up for all?

Happy New Year and a peaceful Eastern-Christmas!

Trump is shutting down Musk?

 Happy and a Peaceful New Year 2025!

Trump is not for Electric?

Wow it looks like all that money that Musk has invested in Trump is going nowhere and his dreams may be coming to naught with the gas guzzling new President and the automobile is to stay on for another while!

European reality is moving still for the electric future and perhaps Musk will open a European plant for his cars and trucks and take a piece of the market off the Chinese, but one has to wonder what Trump might make of that?

In recent weeks many electric powered projects have been cancelled in Europe in relation to flight and this may be in relation to U.S. sales of the types and heavy U.S. tariffs, but it might also be that conventional bio-fuels are more reliable than all electric?

Specialist Shipping!

 Leading the way with electric powered.

Up-Lifters and other vessels of the same types are now leading the way with electric power, but with the end of the COP, it would imply that there is no rush to move from fossil fuels to green, as the host of the conference claimed that he had not yet seen any scientific documentation to prove that global warming had anything to do with the warming up of the Earth?

The race is on now between shipping and aviation and at every turn there is something new in technology from carbon wings to new metals improving solar energy and other and some nations seem to be committed, many remain confused as to what is really going on?

The developing world wants to burn fossil fuels to be on a par with the first world, they want to make their way to our level and perhaps when we are all equal then the serious work of saving our planet will begin and perhaps by then we will have no choice?

Electric power flight!

 Still early days?

There are many designs and concepts out there and the few that are operating are still classed as very unstable and dangerous, but as time moves on better engines will be developed and some aircraft will make it to the civil market on the air taxi scale two-four passengers?

Embraer is leading the way with the possibility of commercial aircraft within the next ten years, while several others are moving into combination powered aircraft, just like hybrid automobiles, but the development of new lighter carbon materials is opening the door for some serious models to come to the fore?

Meanwhile the drone is now at its current height of being militeriesed, as seen in the Ukraine on both sides, but they have limited range still and one is only seeing old NATO models being used on the battlefield, rather than anything that is really new.

The future may see drones being used as AI driverless cars in the future and that will be something of a change?

No need to turnaround!

 China's new vehicle ferries.

The concept has long been on the table, but no one could see it ever being implemented, but China thinks outside the box and have done it. 

Already these ships are working the English Channel and of course in the far-east, one will have to see how long it will take them to conquer the world and make life easier for the ferry companies to load and off load without the need to turn?

These ships have two bridges and thus two entry points with open decks to that of the conventional designs of hinged doors and the risk of flooding and capsizing.

Electrically powered shipping is slowly become more and more, but it will take time for the millions of vessels world-wide to be converted from fossil fuels to electric.

Lithium Dangers?

 Overheating Electrics.

With the recent incident of a K-Line car carrier catching fire in the North-Sea, off northern Holland, there are some serious concerns in relation to how safe are electric cars in storage and on the roads.

Many people are being almost forced now to consider electric over that of the fossil fuel burners, by the introduction of ULEZ type schemes across the U.K.

But for the poorer end of the market, there is not much to choose from and warnings on second-hand electrics, is that they are riddled with problems that will be not worth paying for.

It would seem that at some point another lower fuel emission will have to be considered, before a new improved electric system can be found.

Despite all this many people are still buying, and others are finding the overheating problem is really dangerous with cars being abandoned in many places when they catch fire?

Gas and Battery Buses?

 Electric is much cheaper than fossil Fuels.

Many city fleets of buses have now either opted for battery or gas, but with the very hot summers of recent years there is a problem of the Lithium overheating and vehicles catching fire.

To this date nothing better is yet available, but there are many innovations that are not getting tested and so for most of the year, apart from two months everything works fine.

Lamp post hubs are becoming the norm in London for buses and other vehicles on a pre-paid system and with the phasing out of diesel. We will have better transport connections that are far cheaper by at least £1.70 per litre of conventional fuel.

Next Generation Electric!

 Better transport Requirements?

This new generation of electric vehicles brings with it great promises of better things and yet Tesla is still having driverless collisions and fatalities?

But design and electrical improvements with docking stations are becoming more popular in England and Wales, but for some what we have and is to come is still not enough and one would have to agree that every petrol station should have a docking facility!

Trucks and buses are now very much to be seen across the country and more are on the way with hydrogen gas and electric on a par with each other in mixed fleets, even rail is starting to adapt to the option of gas powered trains alongside battery ones.

Aviation Changing?

 Despite the dreaded COVID!

Aircraft with no windows and head up displays look like a new future, but will the public go with it and why do we need it anyway?

Both Boeing and Airbus seem determined to go this way in their new project aircraft that will replace many current designs operating now! But not all companies are doing this but will rather stay with the conventional concepts?

One reason maybe to do with the more delta wing concepts of the electric engine powered aircraft, if they ever become a reality? 

KLM is leading the way with a one-third mock up that can fly of this new aerodynamic design, but the U.S. is working on a new supersonic project and other nations are trying to develop semi space flight aircraft more for commercial flying than the current projects for space tourism!

Gas Powered Aviation = The Future!

 Hydrogen is now a Fact?

Many aircraft manufacturers say, 'That they are now planning for hydrogen powered design along with the wing concepts that will prove to be more economical!

Already there is a push in Europe for such a concept, while Embraer is looking at battery powered helicopter flight with many others?

Airbus is now promoting the A220-100 as a business jet to counter new arrivals from Japan and the far east that will do very well.

Boeing has certified its MAX series into service, after the two tragic losses, Ryanair will be the biggest operator of the type in Europe and outside of the U.S. Many new adaptions are being added to the Boeing 777-10 series and Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, while Airbus has been busy with its popular A330 and EWB A350-900/1000 series.

Helicopters 75 Years! Part-One.

Come a long Way!

The day of the helicopter is not yet over, despite many new drones are cheaper than keeping an helicopter in the sky? The helicopter derived from gyro-dynamics in aircraft to act like an early form of the Boeing-Vertol Osprey BV-22, which still occupies U.S. military research into the development and deployment of much newer and stable platform, which is changing the battlefield from science-fiction to reality!

Today nearly anyone can go up in a helicopter from pleasure flying to search and rescue? The small machines are in the Robinson family, while Bell and Sikorsky have held both the military and commercial market, go to any horse racing event and there are more helicopters between the tracks now parked up since riders cover more than one meeting a day?

The largest machines are still dominated by the Russians and Ukrainians with the Mil Mi-26 capable of carrying three tracked vehicles and one hundred and twenty-five combat troops! This helicopter was a development of the Mi-6 well known is Russia as the Cow because it was slow and vulnerable to ground rocket fire?

Mid range giants are the Chinook, Boeing-Vertol CH-47, which has been around since the Vietnam wars of the 1960s and the Sikorsky CH-53 Super stallion, S-92 SAR after that is the successful Westland-Leonardo EH-101 and the various derivatives of the Puma SA-330 to the H332 Super Puma that dominates the North Sea oil and gas supply rigs and wind turbines.

Europe has also taken the lead of the world market with the H-135/145 helicopter in Air Ambulance and police, electric line work along with several other smaller types?

Ferries.

Improving and new power Sources!

Ferries in the shipping world are growing demand, new power propulsion and comfort more than many are lead to believe, despite the many new bridges being constructed around the world?

Island communities still need shipping and tourism to keep their local economies going and the roll on/off ferry is that vital link. Electric propulsion is now leading the way as far as we know to improve the environment as others forms are withdrawn.

Meanwhile comfort on these boats are being improved all the time and this is encouraging both their demand and use and this will be the more so as Diesel is replaced and newer designs for stability and endurance come to the fore?

Many older ferries that sink around the world, is more due to ignorance and maintaining rusty vessels!  Where many corrupt officials and governments turn a blind eye, instead of enforcing safety and declining licences to unscrupulous people!

Electric Power!

Already Operational?

The electric engine is now well into progression to begin the replacement of the Diesel which has been very faithful both in locomotion and shipping and this is were some of the first replacements are being built, designed and are operational!

The world of Aviation is also seeing many new aircraft concepts and a great desire to have something up and running in the near future? Many experimental aircraft are on the cards, but this remains a limited to civil aviation while the military are still burning fossil fuels in both aircraft and helicopter fleets!

The automobile has also taken off from hybrid vehicles to battery and full electric and because bus and delivery fleets are coming into service, many ordinary folk want their own! It is not known yet how much all of this is reducing carbon emissions in towns and cities, since many young people and children are still dying from chronic respiratory failures from breathing in carbon monoxide?

Happy New Year to one and All!!

ENGINES?

Powering Aviation!

Most of the worlds aircraft flying since 1960 have been powered by only a few types, or copies of engine plants! In the west Pratt & Witney, Rolls-Royce. General-Electric and Lycoming are the most numerous for both civil and military.

Russia and China have only a few too, until recent new developments, while France and a few nations did their own thing. Today with more aircraft than ever the western engine giants are still holding their ground with the Russian and European competition?

Much more choices are available today that ever before when it comes to aircraft and capabilities, fuel efficiency with the electric engine now coming online! But these new developments, despite being available still have to go through much testing before we will see them in everyday use?

Electric Progressing!

Many nations are trying?

Sometimes I think environmental groups can or are being to hard on those who are trying to introduce battery powered vehicles into their fleets such as TFL (Transport for London and Royal Mail)?

This new technology will take time as both NASA and Boeing say that they too have now entered the race with Embraer in Brazil! But what we are not hearing in the west is what is happening in China and Russia in this technology?

The protest currently in the U.K. are trying to wake up people to the serious situation that pollution is now going to cause, if we do not stop wanting our independence with the car and the petrol engine?

There are many areas not being mentioned in the media re-the burning of oils in their various forms and their emphasis has been on plastics another product of petroleum! Banks and investments need to be exposed if we are ever going to get on top of global warming in relation to human activity?

Electric Locomotion!

Lack of investment?

Electricity costs and the infrastructure needed to build and maintain is not affordable to many countries around the world, in some cases even in the U.K. money is being held back in Wales to undercut the future of business and trade for unknown reasons?

Meanwhile the Diesel engine continues to rule the roost in the haulage of freight world-wide, because it is cheap and easy to work. Locomotive engines are improving all the time and the data on pollution varies from region to region worldwide, leaving one to wonder what is the real truth to the whole global warming situation!

Perhaps the taking off the road of trucks on to rail might cut the burning of fuel and relieve road traffic in towns and cities, but it is unknown if this is viable as it would logically seem to be?

New airports and Runways.

Heathrow third Runway?

Pollution and plastics are big news at the moment in the media and so is the plans to build new airports and a third runway at Heathrow in West-London to take new types of aircraft such as the Boeing 777X, while the governments claim that they will have cut carbon emissions by 2050?

There is some serious hypocrisy being carried out here, by the airlines and the governments and it is not limited to one or two nations, but is going on worldwide. Air travel is growing, because people want o fly and smaller aircraft feeding smaller airports at this time is popular!

We expect that by 2030 some of the new electric powered aircraft will be starting to make a large impact on aviation travel and aircraft such as the Airbus A380, Boeing 747-8 and other large types will be at an end?

Communities are being destroyed in London and maybe in Kent in the U.K., while in China locals get no choices to the expansion programmes of their governments!

Emergency Vehicles Electric!

Conversions to alternatives Underway!

The emergency services are to introduce a new breed of electric vehicles soon, this will be the first service to do so, followed by the Fire and Police? It is hoped that these new vehicles will cut down on emissions and one supposes this change has to start somewhere?

This will be a test run in relation probably to speed and their viability for range between charges! Batteries means more can be done on board maybe before getting to the Accident & Emergency rooms!

Eventually technology will improve and most service vehicles along with the emergency services, buses and trains will start to pay off with the cutting down of carbon monoxide in the air? We still have a long way to go, but at least we are getting there!

What Alternatives?

Thinking outside the Box!

There has to be alternatives for vehicles and machines to what is happening now?

The media addresses aviation and plastic as the biggest pollutants, but the reality is the dumping of chemicals by heavy industry and the burning of Diesel and petrol!

 Engines produce carbon monoxide which is the main cause of asthma and other respiratory diseases and this has been known for some time, sowing more tree and offering inhalers is not enough when humanity can reach the stars?

Currently we have LPG (Liquid petroleum Gas), solar power, battery and electric engine developments, but the truth be told nothing much has changed with some of these technologies since 1895!

The question is why is this all taking so long and the answer to that question is big business and human greed to make a quick investment hoping that in at least three hundred years from now we will have found better alternatives if they make us money?

No long term Replacements?

Diesel to Remain!

It is great to hear that many nations are trying or they claim to be trying to cut down on their carbon emissions, with the introduction of electric and battery powered or hybrid vehicles?

But they still have to make that power from the burning of fossil fuels, if they have no nuclear power it is a catch 22 situation or political hypocrisy!

For the foreseeable future the Diesel engine will remain the mainstay of all types of heavy transport, but the developments are progressing amid costs being too high for the man in the street and the farmer to purchase these limited use machines.