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February 13, 2012
Binyamin Rose: Back to the Bunker: How a life-risking act by a Christian family during the Holocaust saved a family and built a thriving community a world away
Menachem Wecker: Business Schools Teach Real Estate Despite Troubled Housing Market
February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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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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