[Marxism] The new crisis in aviation

[Louis Proyect]

http://www.counterpunch.org/garcia07012009.html
Clouds, Computers and Composites
The New Crisis in Aviation

By MANUEL GARCIA, Jr.

The recent loss of Air France Flight 447, an Airbus A330-200, has raised 
many doubts among the flying public and even some aviation professionals 
about the safety of the newest generation of passenger airplanes. These 
new airliners have composite materials replacing metal for many 
structural elements and control surfaces, and they are reliant on 
computer-controlled flight and navigation systems.

The impetus for developing this new generation of airliners is the need 
to improve fuel economy so as to maintain the profitability of the 
passenger air transport industry. Between 1986 and 2001, the world price 
of crude oil remained steady at near $22 a barrel. From 2002 to 2008, 
the world price of crude oil rose steadily from $25 to $95 a barrel (the 
prices quoted are rough averages, and in 2007 dollars). Modern airliners 
that are lighter and stronger than their older-generation all-metal size 
equivalents can carry more payload with less fuel consumption, and this 
translates to economic sustainability.

The quest for a more efficient airliner began with the first example of 
the type, Igor Sikorsky's S-22 of 1913, the Ilya Muromets, a four engine 
biplane with an enclosed cabin for 16 passengers. Russia's military 
needs in WW1 swallowed up the commercial potential of the S-22, and the 
production was shifted to bombers. The post-war rebirth of commercial 
aviation began with the Farman twin engine biplane transport of 1919, 
the F-60 Goliath, seating 14 passengers. Since then the quest for 
"better, faster and cheaper" passenger aviation has never stopped.

(clip)

---

James Ridgeway has been covering this story as well here:

http://unsilentgeneration.com/

---

It should be added that the asshole Rick Adam I worked under at 
Goldman-Sachs started a passenger jet manufacturing company some years 
ago that was based on the use of composite material. It figures. It also 
figures that he recently sold the company to Russian investors. Remind 
me not to buy a ticket on a plane that uses composites.