Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site heurikon.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!uwvax!heurikon!jeff From: jeff@heurikon.UUCP Newsgroups: net.misc Subject: Smoke and Airplane weight gain - The WHOLE story Message-ID: <230@heurikon.UUCP> Date: Fri, 17-Feb-84 01:29:54 EST Article-I.D.: heurikon.230 Posted: Fri Feb 17 01:29:54 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Feb-84 03:42:02 EST Organization: Heurikon Corp., Madison WI Lines: 85 Last week I posted an article saying that smoke film adds a ton of weight to an airliner. I received mail which ranged from complete disbelief to "thanks for the ammunition". Well, I had to clean up my office anyway, so I rummaged for my source. Here are the details on the weight gain and some comments about my source: From the "Smoke-Free Travel Guide, Copyright 1983 by Bruce W. Miller." Reprinted here with his permission. ###### QUOTE ON: SMOKING RAISES AIRFARES? Their bodies weren't bigger. Just heavier. It was hidden weight. Mysterious weight. Each year the jetliners weighed more on the maintenance scale. And it was important to find out why, because weight determines the rate of fuel consumption, affecting expenses and safety. After a few years of these weigh-ins, this major airline company discovered the culprit to be tobacco tar, according to Bob Fox, a 40-year Boeing Airplane Company employee. Fox explains further: a Boeing "747 collects 200 pounds of tobacco tars per year" between the inside interior lining and the outer skin of the plane. "So an airplane (747) that's been in service 10 years has accumulated 2000 pounds of tobacco tars." To that add 200 pounds of ashtrays--a half pound for each of 400 some seats. This extra weight requires more fuel--and money. Fox explains that "the fuel burn rate, for a 747, is calculated at 5 pounds per hour per 100 pounds of weight. Jet fuel averages 6.7 pounds per gallon. The average annual flight time for 747's is 3500 hours." For 2200 pounds in a 10-year old 747, that's 385,000 pounds of fuel, or 57,463 gallons, a year. "At some price over $1.00 per gallon" the bill comes to at least $57,463 per year. "Multiply that figure by the number of 747's flying (not all have 10 years service) and the price gets pretty high to just haul tobacco tar around." "The price becomes much higher when you realize that 2200 pounds of tobacco tar and ashtrays replace 14.6 revenue paying passengers each and every flight. When you figure the fuel burn to haul tobacco tar and ashtrays for all jetliners" in the world, including those built in other countries, "the figures would be mind boggling." Fox brings the astronomical fuel bill back home with this example. "That amount of fuel," says Fox of the 57,463 gallons, "would heat my home comfortably for 120.9 years." How much less would nonsmokers' airfares be without the expense of flying with tobacco tar? ###### END QUOTE Bruce Miller is a writer and a consultant. He writes for regional and national magazines on a variety of subjects. He has experience in communications and management and makes himself available to groups, organizations, and businesses which want help in establishing smoke-free work environments to produce moral and economic benefits. Bruce publishes the "Nonsmoker's Assertiveness Guide" ($5.00, 32 pages) which contains concise and practical advice for the nonsmoker and sure fire methods to get a smoker's cooperation. For more information, you can reach Bruce directly as follows: Bruce W. Miller Box 21963, Seattle, WA 98111 (206)-322-6110 I have no connection with Bruce. I just think he's got a valuable service to provide and I support him. So there! All you smokers think about this: That tar is only what doesn't end up in your lungs. Have you seen the TV ad for Topal "Smoker's Toothpaste"? A guy blows through a handkerchief and shows us the disgusting brown blotch produced as a result. A reason to switch toothpastes? Hardly. More of a reason to quit altogether. -- /"""\ Jeffrey Mattox, Heurikon Corp, Madison, WI |O.O| {harpo, hao, philabs}!seismo!uwvax!heurikon!jeff (news & mail) \_=_/ ihnp4!heurikon!jeff (mail - fast)