Electrically Powered Aerodynamic Flight in an Enclosed Guide-Way

Electrically Powered Aerodynamic Flight in an Enclosed Guide-Way – The Affordable Alternative to Electro-magnetic Lift and Propulsion.

Imagine a transportation system where you could move from Dallas/Ft Worth to Houston in under 30 minutes without ever leaving the ground; and where weather never delays a trip.

No gee whiz goo-goo eyed science fiction here; just reapplication of well understood aerodynamic principles to an absolutely stable flight environment.

Imagine a round tube or hose – now reshape that round tube or hose so that the interior of the tube or hose takes the outline shape of an aerodynamic lifting body. Now imagine placing an aerodynamic lifting body (Terra-Plane) inside the tube or hose and powering it with electrically powered fans mounted to the lifting body; and where the clearance between the lifting body and the guide-way would allow the lifting body to "fly" in constant "ground effect."

Like many "advanced concepts", this concept is probably nothing new. As in Electro-magnetic Lift and Propulsion concepts, the basic principles behind Aerodynamic Flight have been understood for many decades. In the specific case of Electrically Powered Aerodynamic Flight in an Enclosed Guide-Way (EPAF-EG), scientists and engineers have had decades of experience with the computer controlled flight dynamics it would require; as well as with the principles of electrical induction that would be used to supply the Terra-Plane with the electricity used to power it.

One of a number of advantages of Electrically Powered Aero-dynamic Flight in an Enclosed Guide-way in comparison to Electro-magnetic Lift and Propulsion (EMAG) is the extreme cost advantage in both guide-way and transport vehicle construction.

In the Electro-magnetic Propulsion systems currently in use, as well as those now on the drawing boards, the guide-way and the vehicle require expensive coils and metals.

The guide-way for a Terra-Plane could be built of any material strong enough to support and enclose the aircraft. The optimum material would be a composite made from recycled plastic and rubber where the guide-way is constructed of molded modules that are simply assembled in the field to form the guide-way. The guide-way would require no metals except for copper induction cables inlaid in the guide-way to supply the aircraft with power. The aircraft itself is just that; an aircraft where the engines are electrically powered instead of liquid fueled.

The safety and efficiency advantages of EPAF-EG over Conventional Atmospheric Aerodynamic Flight are considerable.

Let us consider conventional aircraft.

Foremost is the large mass fraction dedicated to fuel; the second is the energy wasted moving massive airplanes to high altitude.

Fuel Fraction is a term used to describe the ratio of fuel mass to the total mass of the airplane. For a modern aircraft this can be anywhere from .25 to .5 depending on a number of variables. This means that somewhere between 25 to 50 percent of the aircraft's weight at takeoff is dedicated to fuel. In terms of overall efficiency this means that considerable energy is expended in order to carry its own fuel. This is easily understood when the energy required moving this large fuel mass to cruising altitude is considered. When any mass is moved to a higher gravitational potential (height) the amount of energy that must be expended is directly proportional to the amount of mass (m) moved and the cruise altitude (h) of the aircraft. In introductory algebraic based physics classes it is calculated as E= mgh where g is the acceleration of gravity. The mass variable in the equation includes the total mass; including the fuel. Simply put, a considerable amount of energy must be expended just to get to cruise altitude. A good portion of that wasted energy results from moving the large fuel load to that altitude. This routine expenditure of energy just to reach high altitude to take advantage of the lower aerodynamic losses associated with high altitude flight is not required in an EPAF system.

In aerodynamic flight much of the energy used is expended doing work against aerodynamic drag. One of the direct variables in this type of drag is air density. An aircraft flying in the lower density air at high altitude experiences less aerodynamic drag at any given speed than it would experience in the increased air densities of lower altitude. Other than noise abatement, this reduced aerodynamic drag is the sole but very significant advantage of high altitude flight.

In an EPAF-EG system the reduced drag gained by flight through low density air is achieved by different means. As described earlier, the aircraft is propelled by electrically powered fans. Obviously these fans are going to be quite different than the ordinary "fans" we are accustomed to. These fans would look and function like the turbo-fans used in conventional aircraft but powered electrically. In an EPAF-EG system these fans pull air from directly in front of the aircraft which, because the aircraft is operating in an enclosed guide-way, would lower the density of the air the aircraft is operating through. This decreases the aerodynamic drag for any given operating speed.

Another component of aerodynamic drag is aerodynamic cross section. Simply put it is the area of the aircraft exposed to the air flow. It includes the fuselage, wings, and tail sections of the aircraft. Because conventional aircraft operate in a rapidly changing flight environment considerable aerodynamic cross-section and surface area is dedicated to the tail section and other control surfaces of the aircraft. These control surfaces, which are used to change and maintain aircraft attitude relative to the air flow over the lifting and control surfaces, require support structure which further increases drag and decreases payload. Because an EPAF-EG system would operate in the absolutely stable flight environment of an enclosed guide-way, the Terra-Plane would need little or no control surfaces or supporting structure required for free atmospheric flight. Since the Terra-Plane would carry no fuel and would require only a very small fraction of the control surfaces of a conventional aircraft; a much greater mass fraction can be dedicated to passengers and other payload.

There is no reason why a Terra-Plane could not match and probably exceed the speed of a modern airliner.

The argument can be made that conventional airplanes have the entire three dimensional space of the atmosphere in which to operate. Although this is indeed the case, the amount of aircraft that the air transport system can handle is still dependent upon the available number of runways.

In any case an EPAF-EG system would be much faster and cost effective in the short to medium range high density markets than EMAG or conventional airplanes. Such a system would be ideal for markets like a Fort Worth – Austin – San Antonio – Houston – Dallas – Ft Worth loop or any other similar type market.

Electrically Powered Aerodynamic Flight in an Enclosed Guide-Way is a much cheaper and efficient alternative to Electro-magnetic Lift and Propulsion Systems. EPAF-EG infrastructure would cost a small fraction of EMAG systems, and because of the absolutely stable flight environment which a Terra-Plane would operate, could be made much cheaper and safer than conventional aircraft.

Construction projects are labor intensive and provide very high economic acceleration when compared to capital intensive projects. A dollars spent in such an endeavor would employ many more people for a longer period than dollars spent in just about any other way; and unlike many other expenditures would leave us with a more efficient transportation system; which translates to a more efficient overall economy.