Snoopy wrote:
first use a train for e.g. London-Barcelona
If there was a decent sleeper service on a route like that, I would use a train journey like that over CAT every single time. Unfortunately most of the sleeper services have gone away. (I have a friend in the computer demoscene, he lives in Oxford and goes to demoparties all over Europe (including European Russia), never using the airlines. A few years ago he used to be able to do a lot of them on sleeper trains – but not so much now).
A400M, is like everything military, a financial nightmare. Tech wise it’s interesting, but probably not a major improvement to the PW150.
Tu-114/Tu-95 aren’t up to today’s standards on so many counts (including noise) that we can simply disregard them. On the other hand, it would be interesting to look at Airbus A400M and the Ukrainian AN-70 vs. jets of comparable size and configuration.
Tackling a problem that isn’t there?
How efficient is a TU-95 vs a 777 or even later designs like 787/350?
High bypass turbofans with giant „props“ are similar to turboprops already in the way that almost all thrust is created by the large fan in front (compared to turbojets of the old times using exhaust gas out the back).
Turboprops would mean a little less fuel burned for a longer time.
When we’re talking long haul passenger turboprop, are we talking Tu114 speed or commuter plane speed? The former one is almost in jet territory, speed-wise. Flight duration should therefore not be an issue. And with airlines buying smaller planes (exactly how many A380s are in the air at this particular moment?) the slightly longer times can maybe be compensated with more direct routes which again will save more fuel.
There is a way to make turboprops just as silent as jets inside. Airbus had some concept design a few years back. But basically, just do what Piaggio did with the P180 – put the engines in the back. That thing is conversation quiet inside the cabin at FL350. When I hitched my ride we flew without headsets for the entire cruise portion and the pilot talked to the people in the back without problem.
Yes indeed; London to Brighton is bad enough during commuter time 
Most short haul flights are feeders, so if e.g. you live in Scotland you need to drive to say Glasgow (which could be hours), fly to one of the London airports (which would be an all day journey otherwise, with hotel stays as a result), and then fly out to the Greek island or whatever. Accordingly, very few Scots are seen in Greece
I think the main legacy of this crisis will be a reduction in business flights, due to video conferencing. The current evidence is that the general population is absolutely desperately booking holidays.
While I agree to discuss the issue of infinite growth vs. finite resources, I’d like to see those that have selected aviation as a main target first use a train for e.g. London-Barcelona ;)
Clipperstorch wrote:
In Central Europe flying does often make no sense, anyway.
What you may miss here is that many (most) short flights in Central Europe are feeders. I have to do this twice a year. LH to FRA and then on a short hop to a regional city. That flight takes something like 45 minutes, but about 99% of pax transfer from/to some LH flight. Of course, these facts are conveniently overlooked by the greenies and other politicians eager to jump on the green bandwagon. If I’m being forced to take a stinking, filthy train, I will do that last leg by rental car. Prob90 defeats the intent of the greenies, but I couldn’t care any much less.
These are the routes which are today often being flown by planes like the Q400 and similar. But I thought we are talking about the replacement of jets by turboprops, aren’t we? I’m thinking Paris to Dublin and not FRA-MUC. In Central Europe flying does often make no sense, anyway. At least in the Form we see today. The last time I thought I was going to fly I was sent on a half hour hike, had to hop on a train and finally take a ride on a bus. Eventually I was allowed to board an A320 for a two and a half hour flight. As long as this does not change (and it won’t, it’s going to get worse) flying slower doesn’t make it worse.
