Easy jet adopts 'go faster stripe' like paint job to achieve fuel savings

Aha we have a down to earth numerate post!

I see journalists are as innumerate in the UK as they are in the U.S.

Sounds like someone sold Easyjet a really expensive wax and polish job.

Hi P.Koschei
Journalists make money on ‘sort’ of facts. Knowing that only a tiny minority of those they tarnish, will bother to take them to the ‘legal cleaners’ (cost, time and effort).

Maybe they threw in a manicure and pedicure for life for EasyJet’s CEO in the package.

My gut feeling is that if the aviation world knew about this before or since 2002 when TripleO went public and if it made savings of the claims made then it would be standard for most civil aircraft.

I see journalists are as innumerate in the UK as they are in the U.S.

Weight in paint as reported (assuming a 737-300): 80kg

Max take off weight (737-300): 62,800kg

Approximate fuel savings from sealant: 1-2%

Approximate weight gain in which return on low friction sealant becomes marginal: 80kg

I am skeptical that an 80kg reduction in weight from a 60 tonne plane is going to result in anything close to a 1-2% gain in fuel efficiency.

Sounds like someone sold Easyjet a really expensive wax and polish job.

TripleO claim on their web site to have painted the Vulcan

TripleO claim on their web site to have painted the Vulcan

http://tripleops.com/index.php is TripleO’s URL

Having been established since 2002 it does seem a long haul to only get recognised now in the civil aviation world.

I am no chemist or materials expert but if the details provided on TriplO’s web site are plausible, then the polymer coating acts as a sealant (literally shutting off all the pores in the aircraft’s skin) and the ultra lightweight paint is then applied.

Well, the article says that the process has been in use with the US military for some time, so it’s not a complete shot in the dark.