Check facts and figures
Irony and LogicPublished: Dec 20, 2000 8:00 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
I read with much empathy the crusades of Beatrice Thio for conservation ([#1]Vital role of nature's dhoby[/#], Dec 25) and K Balan for some Felda settlers ([#2]Felda wannabe millionaires still waiting[/#], Dec 16), but would like to urge on them that in order for their crusades not be turned into tirades, they should first check their facts. Otherwise, they may just be taken as emotional mud-slingers.
Beatrice stated that in a 12-hour flight, an aeroplane consumes 350 tonnes of fuel. This cannot be so. The largest plane in the world at present - the Boeing 747-400 - only weighs 394 tonnes (maximum take-off weight) and can carry only 217 tonnes of fuel. It has a range of 14,500km. Coincidentally, it can fly to London (a trip of about 12,000km) non-stop in about 12 hours.
Considering that the distance is only 83 percent of its maximum range and international regulations require a 45-minute flying reserve at the end of the flight, the fuel consumed by a fully loaded plane is only about 170 tonnes.
Further, considering that a fully loaded passenger plane still carries approximately the same passenger load in cargo, the fuel needed to fly the passengers reduces to about 85 tonnes. If the plane carries its approximate full load of 400 passengers, the fuel per passenger is only 0.2 tonne.
Of course, the fuel consumption per passenger rises somewhat with a reduced load but nowhere would it come close to Beatrice's figures. I am therefore puzzled what she means that flying from London to New York or KL to Sydney consumes 2 tonnes of fuel. The figure is meaningless - incredibly low "per plane" and incredibly high "per passenger".
The vast improvement in passenger aircraft fuel economy in recent years is a great advertising point for the manufacturers who claim that it is now almost as economical (fuel-wise) to fly as to drive. Incidentally, also, 1 tonne is not approximately 1,000kg, it is 1,000kg.
Balan states that 300 Felda settlers were given 425 acres of housing land and 4,845 acres of agricultural land each. This would mean that the 300 fortunates have an area more than 10 times the size of Singapore! It is also not a simple error of division (I wouldn't have written this to split hairs if it were) with the figures quoted being the total areas. From what I understand, each Felda settler was given 8 to 12 acres of land (more initially, less later) to plant and something like half an acre to live on.
I hope my comments do not upset anyone. I empathise with the writers and the Felda victims, but it's hard to feel too much one way or another if the figures are all up the shoot!
Beatrice stated that in a 12-hour flight, an aeroplane consumes 350 tonnes of fuel. This cannot be so. The largest plane in the world at present - the Boeing 747-400 - only weighs 394 tonnes (maximum take-off weight) and can carry only 217 tonnes of fuel. It has a range of 14,500km. Coincidentally, it can fly to London (a trip of about 12,000km) non-stop in about 12 hours.
Considering that the distance is only 83 percent of its maximum range and international regulations require a 45-minute flying reserve at the end of the flight, the fuel consumed by a fully loaded plane is only about 170 tonnes.
Further, considering that a fully loaded passenger plane still carries approximately the same passenger load in cargo, the fuel needed to fly the passengers reduces to about 85 tonnes. If the plane carries its approximate full load of 400 passengers, the fuel per passenger is only 0.2 tonne.
Of course, the fuel consumption per passenger rises somewhat with a reduced load but nowhere would it come close to Beatrice's figures. I am therefore puzzled what she means that flying from London to New York or KL to Sydney consumes 2 tonnes of fuel. The figure is meaningless - incredibly low "per plane" and incredibly high "per passenger".
The vast improvement in passenger aircraft fuel economy in recent years is a great advertising point for the manufacturers who claim that it is now almost as economical (fuel-wise) to fly as to drive. Incidentally, also, 1 tonne is not approximately 1,000kg, it is 1,000kg.
Balan states that 300 Felda settlers were given 425 acres of housing land and 4,845 acres of agricultural land each. This would mean that the 300 fortunates have an area more than 10 times the size of Singapore! It is also not a simple error of division (I wouldn't have written this to split hairs if it were) with the figures quoted being the total areas. From what I understand, each Felda settler was given 8 to 12 acres of land (more initially, less later) to plant and something like half an acre to live on.
I hope my comments do not upset anyone. I empathise with the writers and the Felda victims, but it's hard to feel too much one way or another if the figures are all up the shoot!
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