[Flipside]

This is one of those old 'quirks' of Parliament, that an MP can be suspended for 5 days for touching the 'order' Gavel (known as the Mace).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7830937.stm

It's kind of quaint, but I still find it rather amusing...

[karajorma]

Well he did it knowing full well it would get him suspended. To be honest I think he was counting on it.

[Flipside]

Yup, Interesting that he's the MP for the constituency that actually has Heathrow in it though, part of me says 'popularity ploy', another part of me applauds him.

As for my views on the 3rd Runway, mostly, I'm still in two minds, the jobs would be good, the pollution wouldn't, but I seem to recall somewhere that aircraft emissions have been somewhat exaggerated as far as the effect they have is concerned, but I'm not sure where I saw that now.

[karajorma]

I say we take a vote and all those who say no to a new runway or airport get their passports cancelled and don't get to fly out of the country for 10 years.

It's all very well being against the idea of another runway but unless these people also want to fly less often I don't see what they plan to do about the fact that London does need the extra capacity.

[Flipside]

True, but I can't help remembering the BAA have been told to sell off almost all their other airports.

Personally, I use planes a lot (though I tend to fly from Stansted), and I can understand the need for more runways, but I also think that work needs to be done on making aircraft a bit more economic in the fuel department, I'm sure there was once an idea for a 'glider jet', that climbed to high altitude and then cut its jets and glided, thus saving fuel? I could be wrong though.

[karajorma]

They're obviously going to push Heathrow now that they have to sell Gatwick. No company is ever going to push for their main competitor to become bigger.

That said they wanted to do the expansion somewhere even before they had to. Selling Gatwick simply meant that they couldn't push for that to be increased in size instead. Which probably didn't help those living near Heathrow.

[Mika]

Brits and their old regulations 

Personally, I use planes a lot (though I tend to fly from Stansted), and I can understand the need for more runways, but I also think that work needs to be done on making aircraft a bit more economic in the fuel department, I'm sure there was once an idea for a 'glider jet', that climbed to high altitude and then cut its jets and glided, thus saving fuel? I could be wrong though.

Making a glider jet would mean that the aircraft size should be increased without increasing drag much, and also making them slower in order to decrease the angle between wings and fuselage.

Other than that, the commercial jets pretty much glide the rest of their trip at idle power until landing. I don't think any pilot would ever agree to completely shut down the engines.

Mika

[Mongoose]

The House of Commons makes me lawl.  Best entertainment on TV, for my money.