jeff@heurikon.UUCP (02/17/84)
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
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