| Green Travel News |
Air passengers are getting a glimpse into the future of green flight. More than a flight of pure fantasy, the images of a concept plane by aircraft manufacturer Airbus at at England‘s Farnborough International Airshow illustrate what air transport could look like in 2050—even in 2030, if advances in existing technologies continue at today’s pace. Airbus experts in aircraft materials, aerodynamics, cabins and engines came up with a design that features ultra long and slim wings, semi-embedded engines, a U-shaped tail and light-weight ‘intelligent’ body. All will further improve environmental performance or ‘eco-efficiency’. The result: lower fuel burn, a significant cut in emissions, less noise and greater comfort.
Charles Champion, executive vp of engineering at Airbus, says: “The Airbus Concept Plane represents an engineer’s dream about what an aircraft could look like in the long-term future. It’s not a real aircraft and all the technologies it features, though feasible, are not likely to come together in the same manner. Here we are stretching our imagination and thinking beyond our usual boundaries. With the Airbus Concept Plane we want to stimulate young people from all over the world to engage with us so that we can continue to share the benefits of air transport while also looking after the environment.”
A recent poll suggests that the passengers of 2050 will be more environmentally aware while also recognizing the many benefits of air travel. For the British public aged under 35, ‘environmental issues’ are 2nd only to ‘cost’ as a barrier to flying. Yet the majority of under-35s also look forward to flying more in the future. Over 40% think that for every 2 flights we make today, we will take at least 3 by 2050. One in 10 of us expects to fly at least twice as much.
Your flying Zen garden
Further future-gazing by Airbus shows blueprints for radical aircraft interiors. In ‘The Future by Airbus’ the company talks of morphing seats made from ecological, self-cleaning materials, which change shape for a snug fit; walls that become see-through at the touch of a button, affording 360 degree views of the world below; and holographic projections of virtual decors, allowing travelers to transform their private cabin into an office, bedroom or Zen garden!
‘Green’ energy sources like fuel cells, solar panels or even our own body heat might provide energy for powering some systems on tomorrow’s aircraft. As aeronautics engineers continue to use nature as a source of inspiration, some of these aircraft may even fly in formation like birds to reduce drag, fuel burn and therefore emissions.
