Today marks the first day of the Green Flight Challenge. An event that will see 13 experimental aircraft go head to head for a grand prize worth 1.6 million USD. What makes this event so interesting is that these aircraft are not competing to be the Navy's next top dog fighter or anything like that, rather they are competing for extreme fuel efficiency.
The goal is to have an aircraft that can travel for 2 hours at 100 miles per hour only burning one gallon of gasoline per occupant with low noise. That's 200 person miles per gallon; far better then any commercial airliner or passenger jet today, and even better then most cars.
It's all part of NASA's grand plot to get everyone flying by the end of the decade: SATA or Small Aircraft Transportation System is an idea conceived by NASA back in 1997 in which they hope to decongest commuter traffic by making air taxis a viable option for everyone. It's all a good idea in theory however it's taken quit a bit of time for them to get to this point, but it's a big step forward.
Most of the aircraft will be electric, historically marking the first event in aviation history where electric propulsion will compete in a challenge. However quit a few will run on Bio-diesel, one will run on ethanol and another will run on good old JET-A. Some of the aircraft have hybrid propulsion systems that use a combination of Bio-Diesel and electric power to extend their range.
My money is pinned on the Synergy Aircraft as the winner of this event. It's the only one that can fit 6 people and uses the most innovative aerodynamics I have seen. However there are a lot of other contenders that could easily get first place. Still whoever wins it's a win win for everyone.
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