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May 23, 2012
Tony Pugh: More private colleges offering tuition discounts
Mary Beth Franklin: How to Choose the Right Annuity for You
Tina Susman: The wig wasn't enough: Man gets 13 years for posing as his dead mom
The Kosher Gourmet by Emma Christensen:A simple way to do fish right
May 22, 2012
Warren Richey: Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide
Thomas M. Anderson: Walking Away From a Mortgage
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: Enjoy a celebration of the most rich and layered flavors: Black bean, sweet potato and quinoa chili
May 21, 2012
Mark Clayton: Cybersecurity: How US utilities passed up chance to protect their networks
Howard LaFranchi: NATO summit: Who will foot the bill for long-term Afghanistan security?
Chris Farrell : Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Stephen Whiteside, Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: Social anxiety disorder --- or just shy?
Guy Jackson : Victim's father regrets death of Lockerbie bomber
The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: Famed chef's veal shoulder farsumagru: A festive meat course for late spring
May 18, 2012
Rabbi Berel Wein: Striving: The People of the Book's Book for (All of) the People
Steven Goldberg: 5 Great Stock Picks and the Exchange-Traded Fund that Owns Them
Mary Pickett, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Don't be forced into gluten-free lifestyle based merely on a doctor's false-positive test
The Kosher Gourmet by Carolyn Malcoun: DIY healthy lunchbox treats: HOMEMADE FRUIT BARS for kids and brown-bagging adults alike
May 17, 2012
Warren Richey: Teacher fired for being unwed and pregnant can sue religious school, court rules
Josh Mitnick: Netanyahu's 'centrist' coalition is already proving it's anything but
Steven Goldberg: Earn Dividends in Emerging Markets with This WisdomTree ETF
Amina Khan: Research links coffee to lower death rates
The Kosher Gourmet by Faith Duran : Cheesy Potato Breakfast Casserole with Cheddar and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
May 16, 2012
Carmen Terzic, M.D., Ph.D. : Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: A variety of exercises can help improve balance
Melissa Healy: National strategy on Alzheimer's disease aims to halt it by 2025
The Kosher Gourmet by Joyce White : GOODNESS GRACIOUS: GREENS! 4 winning recipes that are no longer just for down-home folks (Includes expert tips & techniques)
May 15, 2012
Kristen Chick: Obama administration resumes arms sales to Bahrain despite serious unresolved human rights issues. Activists feel abandoned
Pat Mertz Esswein: Homes are now affordable again and mortgage rates are low. What you need to know before you buy
Kathy Kristof: Our Practical Investor Fights Inflation with These 6 Investments
Sue Hubbard, M.D.: The Kid's Doctor: Lactose intolerant young child? Check again
The Kosher Gourmet by Kathy Hunt: Spread a Little Excitement with EXOTIC CONDIMENTS (4 RECIPES)
May 14, 2012
Lisa Gerstner: How to Protect Your Identity, Finances If You Lose Your Phone
Harvard Health Letters: Heart disease and dementia
The Kosher Gourmet by Megan Gordon: MANGO COCONUT OAT MORNING MUFFINS are a bright but hearty delight
May 11, 2012
Jessica L. Anderson: Get the Best Deal on a Used Car
Jett Stone: Forget face-lifts and fake knees. Scientists have seen the fountain of youth --- and it's broccoli
The Kosher Gourmet by Chef Mario Batali: The famed chef's vegetable dish that tastes true to the season: FAVAS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS WITH POTATOES AND TARRAGON
May 10, 2012
Sergei L. Loiko: Putin sends warning to U.S., NATO in Victory Day speech at Red Square
Mary Rourke: How being a 'mentch' got Vidal Sasoon his start and fighting in Israel's War of Independence provided him with confidence and a strong sense of his own identity
Jeff Bertolucci: Get Home Phone Service for Less Than $10 a Month
The Kosher Gourmet by Betty Rosbottom: Gleaming with its golden, crimson, and snowy white hues, this silken smooth and creamy STRAWBERRY ORANGE TRIFLE looks impressive, but is easy to prepare
May 9, 2012
Sharon Palmer, R.D. How you can reduce your risk -- or delay -- chronic diseases associated with aging
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Jewish World Review
Why aren't we flying to work?
By
Marshall Brain
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | (MCT)
Anyone who has watched the Jetsons knows how we are supposed to get to work in the 21st century. We are supposed to by flying around. No worries about traffic, no problems with rush hour. Plus, it would be fast.
That brings up the obvious question: Why don't we all use personal helicopters instead of personal automobiles to get around town in 2007? Last week I had the chance to find out. I spent the day with Blake Moore of Air Atlanta Helicopters. We flew for a couple of hours while shooting a set of videos on how helicopters work. It was an eye opening experience. The comparison between today's helicopters and today's cars is remarkable.
As an example, let's use the Honda Civic as a "typical car." A Civic holds four passengers with ease, maybe five in a pinch, and has space in the trunk for luggage. It is a reliable, economical car. It costs between $15,000 and $20,000 depending on the options you get, and it weighs about 2,700 pounds.
At Air Atlanta we were flying in a Robinson R-44. The R-44 holds four passengers. Five would be a stretch. There is no trunk, but you can attach luggage pods on the outside of the helicopter. Even though an R-44 weighs 1,440 pounds, or about half as much as the Civic, it costs 15 times more. That's right - the typical cost of an R-44 is between $300,000 and $400,000 depending on the options. If you want to add air conditioning to an R-44, it costs about as much as a new Honda Civic. Yes, helicopters are expensive.
To put this into perspective, a new Honda Civic costs about $6.50 a pound. A new R-44 costs about $240 per pound. That huge difference is one big reason why we aren't flying to work every day.
Another thing to think about is gas mileage. A Honda Civic traveling at 60 MPH uses about one and a half gallons of gas every hour. And that gas costs $3 per gallon. The R-44 can fly twice as fast, but it burns about 15 gallons of gas every hour, and aviation gas costs $6 per gallon. This means that it costs seven and a half cents per mile to fuel the Civic, while it takes 75 cents per mile - 10 times as much - to fuel the R-44. A full tank of gas costs $30 for the Civic, while it costs nearly $300 for the R-44, and both vehicles can go about 400 miles per tank. That is one expensive fill-up!
Then there's insurance. The R-44 costs 20 times more than the Civic, so you would naturally expect for insurance to cost at least 20 times more. But Civics can't fall from the sky, so insurance on the R-44 is even more expensive than you might imagine. Figure about $25,000 per year as a starting point.
And there's maintenance. On an R-44, you have to do a complete factory rebuild at 2,200 hours, and there are also 100-hour inspections. The rebuild is a six-figure affair. Therefore, the maintenance cost of a helicopter can be astronomical compared to a car - approaching $100 per hour of flight time.
And finally, let's not forget the actual act of piloting a helicopter. To control a car you have a steering wheel along with the accelerator/brake pedals. Since a helicopter gives the pilot complete access to three dimensions, the controls are a good bit more complex. There is a joystick called the cyclic that tells the helicopter to fly forward, backward or sideways. There is a lever called the collective that tells the helicopter to go up and down. There is a throttle that works like the twist grip on a motorcycle. And there are two foot pedals to control the tail rotor. Lessons are expensive. For the price of your helicopter pilot license, you could buy a new Honda Civic.
So now we can go back to the initial question: Why aren't we flying to work in our own personal helicopters? Because it's way, way too expensive. Right now, most of us can't afford the cost of a helicopters gas, much less the purchase price of a helicopter and the cost of maintenance and insurance. It will probably be a few more decades before we are flying to work.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
Comment by clicking here.
Previously:
How tofu and soy milk work
How Colony Collapse Disorder works
How airbags work
How the U.S. income tax works
How gum works
How caffeine works
How Daylight Saving Time works
How a cruise missile works
How snow making works
© 2007, How Stuff Works Inc. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
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