Cost Of Air Travel Research Articles

Modelling the determinants of trans-Tasman migration after World War II.

"This paper identifies the economic and demographic factors responsible for migration flows between Australia and New Zealand by means of a probabilistic model of emigration in both directions. The largely uncontrolled flows between the two countries have the same determinants as those commonly found in studies of internal migration. The cost of migration (proxied by the real cost of air travel), labour market conditions and the potential earnings differential play a role, although the results are modified by the incidence of return migration and age composition."

The Case for the Convertible Rotor

Thiry-three years ago, by an ironic fate, a man passionately concerned with safety in air travel, which he hoped to achieve by a radical change from fixed to rotating wings, lost his life in an aeroplane accident. Since de la Cierva's tragic death, civil air transport has grown to a spectacular system, especially if one considers the speed of modern aircraft and the size of modern airports. It is, however, still quite small by comparison with other mass transport systems, if one takes ton-mileage or passenger-mileage as the yard-stick. Indeed the penetration of the aircraft into road, rail and sea traffic has not been very impressive except across the Atlantic and perhaps on certain routes in the USA. The modern airliner with a casualty probability of the order of 10-6 per passenger flight is considered a fairly safe means of transport. Although the cost of air travel is comparatively high, the mode of travel, especially the high cruise speed, is attractive.

Factors in the Design of Commercial Airplanes

Abstract A steady and profitable market may be expected for existing equipment in remote and inaccessible places, where other forms of transportation are not available, but the real problem is to make the air transport compete successfully with the extra-fare trains. The real commodity that is being sold is transportation, and the factors involved are speed, comfort, and cost, assuming of course that safety and reliability have been demonstrated. The combination of these three factors must equal that of the fast train. The cost of air travel is of necessity high; therefore the speed-comfort combination must exceed that of the railroads. In general, the comfort of the train at least equals that of the airplane, so the latter must be sold on the speed factor alone, without sacrifice of a certain minimum requirement for comfort and at a cost that is justified by the increase in speed. Existing air transports have a high speed of 135 to 145 miles per hour, a capacity of ten to twelve passengers, and a power output of 100 hp. per passenger. The speed has been obtained by increasing the power per passenger to nearly double that formerly thought sufficient. High power means high fuel capacity and decrease in percentage of pay load. The author advocates the development of a 30 to 40 passenger airplane that will equal present speed requirements with a reduction of power to 50 to 60 hp. per passenger. To obtain this result he advocates abandoning direct-drive air-cooled radial engines and replacing them by geared engines, air-cooled or liquid-cooled, placed preferably inside the wing, with a remote drive to the propellers. The airplane itself should approach the flying wing, the wing loading should be high, and the landing gear should be retractable. Due to increase in landing speed the brakes should be much larger, should be operated by mechanical power, and should be capable of utilizing the full friction between the wheels and ground. The material from which the airplane is made will depend largely on a depreciation factor which is not yet clearly defined and cannot be set up until large airplanes have been in operation for a longer period of time.