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Idiotic Comment of the Day - Duncan Lockerby

Monday, 1 June 2009 17:29 pm · 5 comments

by Simon

This guy, a researcher at Warwick University, UK, has found a way to reduce drag on aircraft wings, and then plays the "climate change" joker:

"The truth is we’re not exactly sure why this technology reduces drag but with the pressure of climate change we can’t afford to wait around to find out."

Another worthy winner of the ACM ICOTD Gong [cue applause, and Al Gore-type Nobel prize acceptance speech... on second thoughts, maybe not - Ed].

Read it here.

{ 5 comments }

Anonymous June 2, 2009 at 1:25 am

Boundary layer control has the potential to reduce aircraft drag by significant margin. It may well provide a step-change reduction in fuel consumption for airliners of the future. Fuel savings have been of great interest to the aeronautical industry, long before climate change became a popular buzzword. However, there’s nothing essentially untrue or disingenuous about Duncan’s statement.

regards,

Dr James Jewkes – Curtin University of Technology, Perth.

Anonymous June 2, 2009 at 4:08 am

I disagree, this isn’t idiotic. He only mentioned the ‘pressure of climate change’ which is indisputable – there is pressure, real powerful political pressure.

What would be idiotic, is if this new technology was patented….

Simon from Sydney June 2, 2009 at 8:36 am

To Dr Jewkes – absolutely. From an engineering background, I understand the efficiencies that can be gained by reducing drag with various boundary layer or wing tip devices, and any system that can do this and save a limited resource (fuel) is very welcome. It’s the inevitable link to climate change which gains the quote the award!

To Anonymous – agreed.

Anonymous June 2, 2009 at 5:05 pm

this guy’s an idiot; it’ll take more than putting nipples on aircraft wings to stop my river-fronted property from flooding. how dare he? I got sunburnt yesterday – IN ENGLAND – its disgraceful

Anonymous October 6, 2009 at 2:35 am

What a tool!

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