The Boeing 787 took flight last week and promises a 20% increase in fuel economy because of its design and its lightweight carbon structure:

The amazing Boeing 787 Dreamliner should have its first flight today

What else could be done to make airplanes even more efficient? Scientists have two ideas that they hope to borrow from nature. One is to use the bumps from whale fins:

Bumpy whale fins set to spark a revolution in aerodynamics

Millions of years of evolution’s trial and error approach have resulted in some incredibly effective designs that are ready to be incorporated into human constructions if we can only identify, understand and replicate them. The random-looking bumps on the humpback whale’s flippers have just inspired a breakthrough in aerodynamic design that seems likely to dramatically increase the efficiency and performance of wind turbines, fans, flippers and even wings and airfoils. WhalePower’s tubercle technology seems like nothing less than a revolution in fluid dynamics.

No word yet on exactly how well this might work, but in wind turbines, “Real world performance is proving very impressive.” Here’s an explanation of one WhalePower application:

The other is formation flying. That is, flying in a V formation like geese do:

Geese point the way to saving jet fuel

Scientists have proposed an unusual method for cutting aircraft fuel consumption – they want to fly jumbo jets in formation like geese.

The prospect of flotillas of airliners soaring across the sky in V-shaped flocks, like migrating birds, is startling. Nevertheless, research by aviation experts has shown that it could lead to major reductions in aircraft fuel consumption.

Scientists observed a 15% drop in fuel consumption when three planes flew in a V formation.

Assume that the bumps increase efficiency by 15% as well. With all three improvements, a 787 would use half as much fuel as a normal jetliner. A 747 gets about 0.2 miles per gallon according to this page:

How much fuel does an international plane use for a trip?

That sounds terrible, but a 747 can carry 500 people, so it works out to 100 miles per gallon per person.

A 10 hour flight burns 36,000 gallons of fuel. At $3 per gallon that is $108,000, or $216 per passenger. Cut that in half and it saves $108 per passenger. That would make a big difference in the cost of long-distance travel.

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