While cars may be going electric and cleaner, there hasn’t been much of a development on the air-route front. There are a few alternative energy powered prototypes in discussion, but they still have a long way to go. Southwest Airlines has shown a new way the metal birds could go greener, and it is in ways, conventional, new and innovative.
The airline’s new Boeing 737-700 plane uses the good-ol’ weight savings method as a way for reduction of fuel consumption. The said aircraft gets recyclable InterfaceFLOR carpet, weight-saving seat covers and life vest pouches, lighter foam fill for the seats, and aluminum seat rub strips replace the plastic ones. All this makes the aircraft 472 pounds lighter than the conventional ones, and while the weight loss may not be quite a lot considering the size of the aircraft, it does make fuel savings. Savings to the tune of 9,500 gallons a year can come along from this aircraft, though it isn’t clear when this metal bird will take to the skies.
Via: DailyFinance/ Xinhuanet/ Engadget
