2006-08-28 05:48:56 · 20 answers · asked by alanpringle2020@talk21.com 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Aircraft
Why would they want to? They carry enough fuel to reach the next destination and refuel no the ground. Military aircraft for weight purposes carry less fuel therefore need to refuel in flight to continue missions.
2006-08-28 05:53:08 · answer #1 · answered by William R 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
BS Flags
Wise J - Plenty of Military airplanes refuel in flight that carry more than two crewmembers, E-3, E-8, VC-25 (Air Force One), just to name a few.
Chelle - People have been allowed to remain on planes while they refuel for a very long time.
Otherwise the answers are good and just to let you know, most people would get terrible airsick if they had to sit through an Air Refueling!
2006-08-28 08:17:53 · answer #2 · answered by sc0tt.rm 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Up until recently people on commercial flights were not allowed on board the aircraft until it had been refueled, due to health and safelty so i think there a long way off mid air refuelling. Also it would cost a lot as its a second plane in the air.
2006-08-28 05:57:02 · answer #3 · answered by Izzy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In flight refueling is not the easiest thing to do... and quite dangerous. Plus the fact all commercial airliners would have to be redeisgned to be able to accept fuel mid-air which would not be cheap.
Another thing would be the cost of the fuel... way to expensive to keep the flying gas stations in service
2006-08-28 06:50:59 · answer #4 · answered by j H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its cheaper to drop the plane on the ground and refuel it there - also allows them to drop passengers off and pick new ones up.
in flight refueling is an incredibly expesive business. a big refueling jet that could refill the tanks of a 747 does not exist currently so would need to be developed just for that and the A380. it would cost billions...
2006-08-30 00:04:50 · answer #5 · answered by BigBoy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thats a great Idea since you wouldnt have to carry from the start the fuel which you will burn at the end of the flight. I think that it is too dangerous and the military thechnology is not as far developed to implement it in civil aviation, but I would guess that this will be eventually applied to commercial airplanes.
2006-08-30 02:34:22 · answer #6 · answered by rolfetas 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hugely expensive, you are running 2 aircraft instead of the one, plus it is very dangerous. Better to land on long haul flights, refuel and allow the passengers off to stretch their legs. Deep Vein Thrombosis would skyrocket if not.
2006-08-28 06:13:11 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Refueling in-flight is a very dangerous task. Basket strikes can break cockpit windshields, FOD out an engine, etc....
Risking peoples lives (civilians) are not worth going a few extra miles.
2006-08-28 15:08:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It may be because the mid-air refueling is costly and risky considering hundreds of passengers they carry compared to military air planes which have one or two passengers.
2006-08-28 05:55:45 · answer #9 · answered by WiseJ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Too expensive.
Cheaper to land and re fuel. Rather than having two planes in the air using twice as much fuel.
2006-08-29 02:28:18 · answer #10 · answered by Rich S 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋