News

A More Fuel Efficient Jet Engine

Military researchers have undertaken a project that could lead to a more fuel efficient jet engine. They aim to create a jet plane that has the necessary power for takeoffs, but that once it reaches a cruising altitude, could coast along in a more fuel efficient fashion.

The project is called ADVENT, and the military is currently engaged in hearing private industry proposals to help develop the new engine. The project has a budget of 249 million dollars and is currently funded through 2012

The researchers hope to create a plane that will have adjustable parts. Today’s high performance jets expend a lot of their fuel capacity just getting to a location, explains a military spokesperson, and so with these adjustable parts the plane could be either optimized for speed and maneuverability or for long distance cruising efficiency.

Any gas savings would be welcome to the power hungry Pentagon, that spent 85.5 billion dollars in fuel costs alone last year to keep its aircraft in the sky.

The problem with supersonic jets is that their angle is tilted forward, to give them a greater lift, but this angle also results in greater draft, which must be compensated for with increased power output and fuel consumption. Researchers hope to be able to create a plane that can change according to the demands placed upon it, and to be able to create this plane at a reasonable cost.

Researchers will have to develop many new technologies if the plan is to succeed.