Air Force Lab Test Out "Aircraft Surfing" Technique To Save Fuel 205
coondoggie writes "It's not a totally new concept, but the Air Force is testing the idea of flying gas-guzzling cargo aircraft inline allowing the trailing aircraft to utilize the cyclonic energy coming off the lead plane — a concept known as vortex surfing — over long distances to save large amounts of fuel. According to an Air force release, a series of recent test flights involving two aircraft at a time, let the trailing aircraft surf the vortex of the lead aircraft, positioning itself in the updraft to get additional lift without burning extra fuel."
Re:Who's up first? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Who's up first? (Score:3, Funny)
You can switch lead on-the-fly.
Re:prior art (Score:5, Funny)
(They were actually sparrow scratches, but never mind that.)
Re:Big, clumsy, fast and close (Score:5, Funny)
I think you are attending the wrong dance clubs ...
I'm in I'll engage! (Score:5, Funny)
Re:prior art (Score:5, Funny)
Swimming (Score:2, Funny)
It also works for swimming. Swimmers do it, dolphins do it...even educated, bees, oh never mind.
Re:Apparently different than drafting... (Score:4, Funny)
The Waterfowl Association will file suit for Patent violation and Trade Secret violations.
Re:drafting... (Score:5, Funny)
I think it is learned behaviour of not flying in the poop-stream of the bird directly in front of you.
Re:Apparently different than drafting... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:NASCAR (Score:5, Funny)
racing leagues that turn right and have drivers and fans educated enough to read.
Q) What has two hundred legs and twelve teeth?
A) The front row at a Willie Nelson concert.
Re:Apparently different than drafting... (Score:5, Funny)
It will be tied into the aircrafts autopilot system, thus being done "with a computer" thus invalidating any prior art and qualifying for patent protection for that reason as well.
It'll be okay as long as the planes don't have rounded edges thus inciting apple's rage... oh wait... nevermind.
Re:prior art (Score:2, Funny)
Re:NASCAR (Score:1, Funny)
A true racing fan would be educated enough to not watch NASCAR.
FTFY
Re:NASCAR (Score:3, Funny)
A. Anyone else would have called it a teethbrush