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#51
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On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 02:20:14 -0400, Roger
wrote: Depends on how you look at it. A good size solar set up requires a hefty set of batteries. Some of the really good batteries are quite toxic. Will they be able to recondition them or have to dispose of them? I don't know. What you posted next -- about the envionrmental impact of manufacturing solar panels is valid. But about the need for batteries, see: http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/P...rticleID=13242 Don |
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#52
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On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 06:58:49 GMT, Don Tuite
wrote: On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 02:20:14 -0400, Roger wrote: Depends on how you look at it. A good size solar set up requires a hefty set of batteries. Some of the really good batteries are quite toxic. Will they be able to recondition them or have to dispose of them? I don't know. What you posted next -- about the envionrmental impact of manufacturing solar panels is valid. But about the need for batteries, see: http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/P...rticleID=13242 I'd forgotten some areas are able to generate enough power and have this option. He's a long way from Michigan and we may see that some day, but no real incentives to install solar that I know of plus Michigan is a cloudy 43'37" N ~ 85W. Here it' would take many years to pay off a system that size. If I was lucky I could expect to come out with maybe a third the power generated per year that he sees, but I'd bet it'd be far less than that due to clouds and average length of the day. Then we'd have maintenance caused by storms plus low output due to snow and ice covering the collectors. AT a rounded up 8 cents per KWh his system would save me $415 dollars for the year figuring 1/3rd the power generated. Unfortunately we don't have near the sunshine they have in Ca in either hours or strength. Also, I'd want a system that could operate in a "stand alone" mode as I've put well over 100 hours on a 9500 Watt generator in the last 6 years due to power outages. To be piratical most of this area would require batteries or we'd be at the mercy of the power grid. Plus I'd need some method of storing any excess generated and IF I could get the power company go to along it'd be great as every little bit does help. OTOH considering our power usage the generator would be far cheaper than batteries. Also we pay a graduated rate based on amount, not time of day. Our highest rate is about 7 cents per KWH. If I go by the figures in that article our average electrical use in July last year was 22KWh per day. (We cut that to 11 KWh even with this year's heat wave) With the much shorter days coming up the electrical use will go up considerably as will the gas. The first day of Summer the sun rises well before 6:00 AM and There is plenty of light to fly by at close to 10 PM. Twilight ends near 11:00 PM. Our days are something like 3 hours longer than down south that time of year. In the Winter the sun rises around 8:00 AM and sets around 5:00 PM. Today was 14h and 6m long while tomorrow will be 2m 35s shorter with the largest change coming the first day of Fall. However, Solar may not be the answer up here, but wind is a strong viable alternative, or could if we had the electrical grid capacity to handle it. The state of Wisconsin agreed to purchase the excess power from a wind farm that wasn't used. Unfortunately they found out just how inadequate the electrical grid is in that area when it cost them many millions of dollars. Inland in this area the wind is too unpredictable, but there are nearby areas where it works, or would work well. We have almost the ideal average, but they get that average between very windy days and calm days. Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com Don Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com |
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#53
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On Sat, 12 Aug 2006 04:09:28 -0400, "Roger (K8RI)"
wrote: He's a long way from Michigan and we may see that some day, but no real incentives to install solar that I know of plus Michigan is a cloudy 43'37" N ~ 85W. Here it' would take many years to pay off a system that size. Agreed. Here's US map showing how much sun everyone around the country gets: http://projectsol.aps.com/solar/data_insolation.asp Don (NR7X, FWIW) |
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#54
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On Sat, 12 Aug 2006 17:31:17 GMT, Don Tuite
wrote: On Sat, 12 Aug 2006 04:09:28 -0400, "Roger (K8RI)" wrote: He's a long way from Michigan and we may see that some day, but no real incentives to install solar that I know of plus Michigan is a cloudy 43'37" N ~ 85W. Here it' would take many years to pay off a system that size. Agreed. Here's US map showing how much sun everyone around the country gets: http://projectsol.aps.com/solar/data_insolation.asp We don't receive enough sunlight to even be included in their calculator. :-)) Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com Don (NR7X, FWIW) Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com |
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#55
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Jim Macklin wrote: ECON 101 AvGas is available at X price MoGas is available at 3/4X price Cost to re-refine MoGas Y (why is a good choice of letter) Cost to repair damaged engine (each) $20,000. Cost to repair damaged fuel tanks, plumbing, pumps and seals, unknown. Cost of FAA violation of regulations, certificate suspension, a lot Cost of uninsured aircraft when your insurance is cancelled, priceless. Seeing large percentage of fleet GROUNDED when avgas goes away: ???????????? Avgas is on borrowed time. Years ago, decades even, I remember the idea that aircraft were going to have to operate on one of two fuels, automotive gasoline or Jet A. And someone said that aircraft fuel systems needed to be built impervious to alcohols, anilines, aromatics, or any other Bad Thing thet might conceivably wind up in automotive gasoline. The Rutanoids were running fuel on primary composite structure and I said then, "You better make sure _no_ fuel can attack it". Oh no, nothing but avgas was ever going in there. They wish they'd listened now. The diesels-primarily the (autoderivative!) Thielert/Centurion-are sawing a hole in Lycoming's future, in case you hadn't noticed. Flight schools over here and everyone in Europe is lining up for STC conversions. Avgas will be no longer available in Europe in a short few years and over here in a couple after that. The Brazilians have had some success running some aircraft on straight ethanol, and if one could get someone to build conformal pressure tankage LP Gas might be possible-P&W radial powered helos have flown on it. But otherwise, it's car gas, or convert to diesel or turbine. |
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#56
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The way that the fuel price is going, a large percentage of U.S. GA fleet will ground themselves in about 5 years. It's a sad future indeed, but GA as we know it here is going away very soon. It'll be largely replaced by ultralights/LSAs burning mogas. The 100LL Bonanza/Mooney/Cirrus flyers will be able to hold out for a while buying increasingly expensive 100LL, but they'll give up eventaully, or buy a turboprop if they have the money. The light twin fuel hogs will be the first to go. Bret Ludwig wrote: Seeing large percentage of fleet GROUNDED when avgas goes away: ???????????? Avgas is on borrowed time. |
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#57
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"M" wrote in message oups.com... The way that the fuel price is going, a large percentage of U.S. GA fleet will ground themselves in about 5 years. It's a sad future indeed, but GA as we know it here is going away very soon. It'll be largely replaced by ultralights/LSAs burning mogas. The 100LL Bonanza/Mooney/Cirrus flyers will be able to hold out for a while buying increasingly expensive 100LL, but they'll give up eventaully, or buy a turboprop if they have the money. The light twin fuel hogs will be the first to go. Funny, the same thing has been said since aviation began. Read some magazine articles from the '20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s and you read the same story over and over again. |
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#58
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On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 23:55:40 GMT, "Dave Stadt"
wrote: "M" wrote in message roups.com... The way that the fuel price is going, a large percentage of U.S. GA fleet will ground themselves in about 5 years. It's a sad future indeed, but GA as we know it here is going away very soon. It'll be largely replaced by ultralights/LSAs burning mogas. The 100LL Bonanza/Mooney/Cirrus flyers will be able to hold out for a while buying increasingly expensive 100LL, but they'll give up The Jet A prices will be right up there too. We might get regulated out of existence, but I doubt the price of gas will do it as that is the cheapest part of flying. I do think we'll see a lot of Diesel conversions once they get the HP up in the 250 to 350 range. I'd even spring for one in the Deb as it's getting close to major time any way. How about a turbo charged diesel in the G-III? 350 HP would be just about right if they/I could shoehorn it in. Problem is that damn turbo take sup a *lot* of room. eventaully, or buy a turboprop if they have the money. Unless you fly in the flight levels you are looking a minimum of 30 gallons per hour. More like 40 or 50. That'd be about $200 an hour for fuel to run a 4 or 6 place single engine at 10,000 or under where most of us like to fly. The light twin fuel hogs will be the first to go. Funny, the same thing has been said since aviation began. Read some magazine articles from the '20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s and you read the same story over and over again. Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com |
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#59
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"Roger" wrote in message news ![]() On Sun, 13 Aug 2006 23:55:40 GMT, "Dave Stadt" wrote: "M" wrote in message groups.com... The way that the fuel price is going, a large percentage of U.S. GA fleet will ground themselves in about 5 years. It's a sad future indeed, but GA as we know it here is going away very soon. It'll be largely replaced by ultralights/LSAs burning mogas. The 100LL Bonanza/Mooney/Cirrus flyers will be able to hold out for a while buying increasingly expensive 100LL, but they'll give up The Jet A prices will be right up there too. We might get regulated out of existence, but I doubt the price of gas will do it as that is the cheapest part of flying. I do think we'll see a lot of Diesel conversions once they get the HP up in the 250 to 350 range. I'd even spring for one in the Deb as it's getting close to major time any way. I stopped in the Lycoming tent at OSH and noticed they had a diesel on display. In talking to one of the reps he stated the engine is nearly developed but no one is interested in it so they pretty much put it on the shelf waiting for a customer. Have also heard that there are prop problems due to the power pulses developed by diesel engines. |
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#60
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The Jet A prices will be right up there too.
Jet A will be there. Maybe avgas won't. Jose -- The monkey turns the crank and thinks he's making the music. for Email, make the obvious change in the address. |
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