Its just unrealistic to use anything else at the moment. Current batteries are only at like 250 wh per kg while av-gas sits at around 12,000. And liquid fuel gets lighter as it is consumed. This is not an impossible hurdle for something like a car, where fuel is a tiny fraction of total weight, but for an aircraft its totally unrealistic unless you are willing to dramatically cut speed and cargo capacity.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

One of my main gripes is that this speech sells airplanes as sustainable when we should instead reduce their use. I understand that air travel companies are not willing to go this way, but for our long-term survival we should.

[–] jrs100000 1 points 2 years ago

Its not really the airlines in charge on this one. Maintaining a strong domestic aviation industry is an absolutely critical national security concern for...well, every industrialized country on the planet. At a minimum they want a pool of pilots and mechanics that could be drawn from in the event of war. For wealthier countries, the industrial capacity to build and maintain aircraft is vital to maintain an independent defense posture.