Page 8 - Industrial Technology Extra 12th October 2020

ELECTRIC MOTORS...

Motors help aircraft make

the most out of their fuel

On December 17, 1903 in North Carolina, the Wright Flyer became the first powered,
heavier-than-air machine to achieve sustained flight with a pilot aboard. The modern
ambition for many aircraft designers is to achieve the opposite – aircraft that is
lighter than air. Here, Stewart Goulding of EMS explains how electric motors are
helping aircraft make the most out of their fuel

hile the title of ‘lighter-than-air’ touching down or taking to the skies every 45
aircraft is held by airships such as seconds. Our thirst for overseas travel isn’t going to
Zeppelins and the Airlander, all decrease any time soon, but the need for more
Waeronautic businesses are under commercial flights runs parallel with increasing
pressure to make their planes lighter. A Boeing 747 pressure to reduce our carbon footprint and make
uses approximately one gallon of fuel every second, the industry more efficient.
burning around five gallons of fuel per mile. It’s not In an attempt to reduce fuel consumption,
desirable for aircraft of any size to burn more fuel, airlines are cutting weight wherever they can: seats
and money, than necessary, so steps should be are getting thinner and lighter, pilots are carrying
taken to make consumption as efficient as possible. tablets in place of paper manuals and even the
Every day, 213,000 passengers land or depart number of ice cubes in our drinks is decreasing.
from London’s Heathrow airport, with a plane either Beyond warmer drinks and paperless documents,

October 2020 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA • p8