Originally Posted by
Mark Kelly
The bit that is confusing you is that since aerodynamic drag increases as the square of speed it actually does take more energy to maintain speed in the higher speed parts of the varying curve. That's not what anyone is talking about.
LOL I'll overlook the tone. This last sentence is incorrect. Because of the drag (which I do understand), it takes more energy to maintain the speed accelerating and decelerating.
Also, unless I'm having a brain fart, you have an energy cost to acceleration that you're not making up coasting to maintain a given speed.