Think of the fuel they would save if they practiced tactics in these babies - operating costs are FAR lower per hour than traditional USAF platforms.
Posted on 04/16/2012 9:14:59 AM PDT by Josh Painter
YOKOTA AFB, Japan — The Air Force has ordered its pilots to fly higher and slower in an effort to slash fuel use while still performing the same missions.
The rise in oil prices has added $1 billion to the cost of fueling the Air Force fleet in 2012, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for energy Kevin Geiss said last month.
“We use the most energy of all the services in the Department of Defense, and we are the largest energy user in the federal government,” Geiss said. “Every day, we fly 900 mobility aircraft flights around the world moving cargo and fuel and doing disaster response and aeromedical evacuation as well as operations with combat aircraft.”
The Air Force fleet of 4,693 aircraft is twice as large as the fleets of commercial carriers UPS, Southwest, United and Delta combined, he said.
One way that the Air Force plans to cut fuel costs is by installing fuel-efficient engines on some of its aircraft. For example, upgrading engines on KC-130 tankers at a cost of $278 million over several years will ultimately save $1.3 billion in maintenance and $150 million in fuel over the life of the aircraft through to 2046, Geiss said.
Other fuel-efficiency efforts are already having a big impact. The Air Force is hauling 27 percent more cargo than it did five years ago, but its fuel consumption has fallen 4 percent since 2006. The cost to haul a ton of cargo one mile, made up mostly of the cost of fuel, has been cut 21 percent, Geiss said.
“We are looking at changing how we fly,” he said.
The Air Force saved $2.4 million last year by optimizing diplomatic clearances to allow aircraft to fly over friendly nations’ airspace and cut flight times, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at stripes.com ...
I also hope someone is bright enough to have the pilots check the aircraft’s tire inflation prior to take off. The President says proper tire inflation is key to saving fuel.
‘Cept for Air Force One, which can fly anywhere it wants, as high as it wants and as fast as it wants.
You are right, they are MORONS in charge of our Armed Forces.
Are you morons trying to kill our pilots?
Think of the fuel they would save if they practiced tactics in these babies - operating costs are FAR lower per hour than traditional USAF platforms.
Meanwhile, it is “Full Steam Ahead” on social spending and “green investments.”
Also, when it's time to land, just shut the engines off and coast on down. It's a good way to sharpen up your coasting skills.
> Air Force tells pilots to slow down to save fuel
Not only does it save fuel, it makes it easier for the enemy to get a fix on our guys.
A twofer for the Kenyan Marxist 0ccupier.
You cannot fix stupid, but they feel so good about voting a black man as president.
Too bad he was not qualified to do the job.
Spoken like a supply ckerk, Kevin Geiss.
Any of you guys read the article? These are cargo planes.
They are learning fuel savings from commercial cargo carriers.
Headline may be a little misleading, the speed reduction is a small part of the savings. From 584 to 568, 16mph. Savings of a billion by going to new engines, minor operational changes etc.
I see this as the military working smart, unlike the rest of the government.
I hope they’re all going 55mph and wearing sweaters.
Think of the fuel they would save if they practiced tactics in these babies ...
... or even better!
That savings can be put toward the $50 million in US Navy-coordinated military construction projects Obama plans to fund in Kenya.
Speed
Limit
55
Commanders should order all 4,693 aircraft to fly high and slow until election time (high oil). ;-)
. . . that burn pond scum.
yitbos
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