| ▲ | WalterBright 2 hours ago | |
> So now we're only 3x-4x of a direct replacement. The math leads out an important factor. As the liquid fuel burns, the airplane gets lighter. A lot lighter. Less weight => more range. More like 6x-8x. Batteries don't get lighter when they discharge. | ||
| ▲ | giobox 21 minutes ago | parent [-] | |
Not to mention that jet planes routinely take off heavier than their max safe landing weight today too, relying on the weight reduction of consuming the fuel to return the plane to a safe landing weight again while enjoying the extra range afforded. This trick doesn't work well with batteries either. The max safe takeoff weight for most jets significantly exceeds the max safe landing weight, which is harder to take advantage of with current battery tech the way you can with consumable fuels. | ||