The Shape of Planes to Come?
Take a gander at this oddly wide airplane with the three engines in back. This could be the method of air travel by the year 2030.
NASA has recently started a little pet project, cooperating with engineers from MIT to create planes that are more fuel-efficient, quieter, not to mention environmentally friendly.
All I can say is “It’s About Time!” I’ve been hearing so much about how our cars need to become hybrids or electric, and they need to be cleaner for Mother Earth, but very little has been said about those jumbo jets. I mean, they are one of the least-fuel efficient vehicles that we have, and they are as loud as…well, a jetplane.
In other words, I am all for anything that will improve air travel technology, especially when it comes to saving the planet. Let’s hope that this “wide load” look will also make aisles wider, so you don’t have to compete with that inconvenient drink cart when you want to use the bathroom.
Who knows when this plane will roll off the assembly lines at Boeing or other major aeronautical corporation, but if this is the concept plane of 2030, this is quite a while. So let’s ask Coolest Gadget readers, how would you improve airplane travel? Leave an answer in the Comment box.
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Neagle Says: November 11, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Improving airline travel needs to be taken on a wider outlook of overall continental travel. Passenger rail service should be designed to compliment air service by developing routs between major cities such as Albuquerque and Denver. Short flights are profit off-sets to major airlines and short flights cause a lot of unnecessary traffic in routs better served by rail. America needs to re-think Amtrak top down.
Randy Says: November 11, 2008 at 6:47 pm
1. My air travel experiences would be improved if the loading and unloading of passengers was expedited–perhaps by using more than one door.
2. More eco+ could be achieved by by having a more coordinated transportation structure. long-distance air hubs should link quickly and easily to short-distance humb (VTOL aircraft, rail, subway, ???) to help free people from the 2-ton personal chariot paradigm so deeply entrenched in the public. (I find it frustrating that these same companies that expend their efforts to thwart upstart companies producing eficient vehicles are now seeking our tax dollars to finance their monopolimania.)
Ed Says: November 12, 2008 at 7:33 am
I’m 6’6″ tall and I would like is more leg room.
Dan Says: November 13, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Still, this is the next step we need to see in the greening of air travel in and of itself. I don’t think the A380 offers enough of an advantage over the 747 (even the 8 variant) to be considered satisfactory. The 787 (and A350) are steps to break down the more egregious wastes of the hub-and-spoke system with greener point-to-point travel; now what we need to do is find a way to get 1500 people from LA to Beijing or London efficiently. I don’t think they’ll find a way to make current jumbo airframes half again as efficient.
Boeing is doing studies now on military-oriented giant flying wings; let’s hope market pressure might bring these airframes into the commercial sphere quickly. I saw a Discovery Channel special on future aircraft of this design; the seating resembled a large theatre or church, each row having maybe six aisles, and all outside viewing provided by video screens. The Window Seat will eventually become an anachronism.
Fate Says: April 12, 2009 at 8:48 am
what i want? a view of the outside itself. at first i was gonna say ‘top down’ like those fancy-looking cars.
but i’ve seen that movie–anywyas, obviously the air resistance would be hard to bear. so how’s about glass?
thinking again; won’t be pleasant to see a bird ram dead into what was supposedly air..then what about that um, two way mirror thing? you can look out and uh..the birds can look at themselves. netherless, i just wanted to look at the sky while in flight is all.
i like how it’s fuel effecient and quiet..though silence might be a bit unerving, i could just turn on some music.
but why is it so wide? just to accomadate the the engines at the back?
Edmonton Toyota Says: April 3, 2011 at 11:03 am
Whatever shape (physical) the airplanes may come, the important factors to be considered are its airworthiness and environment friendly jet fuel. I read somewhere that NASA considers is developing bio-fuel using chicken fat. Basically, we wanted our air space to be free of pollutants, even noise pollution from jet engines. I hope to fly through this new breed of airplanes.
Roger Says: April 7, 2011 at 10:01 pm
Hybrid airplanes would be one great development in terms of environmentally friendly air vehicles. I still have to wait for the coming out of silent and smooth airplanes but the future of technology is very promising. Who knows people would travel via “teleportation” in the future.
Calgary Dodge Says: April 8, 2011 at 6:30 am
Indeed, it’s about time! (I hope you don’t mind if I borrow your line). Saving the planet is all we need this time. The disaster that happened in Japan should be a wake-up call for all of us. We should not wait for another disaster caused by climate change. Let is work together for the planet. NASA has started it. Hope we all follow by doing simple things.
GM dealer Says: April 12, 2011 at 7:56 pm
Cool shape! What’s important with these new planes is that its fuel efficiency and use of environmentally friendly fuel. It’s time that we put science and technology to good use by improving what we already have to benefit our environment or at least machines that cause no or very minimum damage to our environment.
Vancouver Dodge Says: April 13, 2011 at 7:17 pm
Conceptualization is one thing. Execution of the concept is an entirely different story. I hope NASA can work it out. People are now transforming cars into fuel-efficient vehicles, I hope they can successfully do it with planes too.
Edmonton Jeep Says: April 27, 2011 at 6:18 am
Love the shape of the plane. But no matter what the shape of the plane is, for as long as it is environmentally friendly, then it’s great. Having it only in 2030 would be too late. I really hope that these planes will soon replace the old, faulty, and non-environment friendly planes.
FIAT dealer Says: May 17, 2011 at 1:01 am
Can’t wait to ride one of these planes, I’m sure they have bigger leg rooms.
Olivia Says: May 24, 2011 at 7:16 pm
It looks like NASA and MIT is up to the challenge of building a plane that is roomy, fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. Perhaps the airline company that would operate this plane create a business class that would give the space and comfort of just like riding my Vancouver Chrysler 200. That would be splendid way to travel in luxury.
Julia Says: July 14, 2011 at 5:01 am
I’m an avid car user and I find my Edmonton Dodge very useful in doing errands or cross-country travels, plus, car makers are now making every effort to make automobiles eco-friendly. If they are, however, going to make take steps to create an environment friendly plane, that’s very advantageous for all of us. Whatever the shape, as long as it does not hasten nature’s demise, that’s a two-thumbs up for me.
LinkCrave: What’s Your Favorite Bond-Mobile? | GearCrave | The Mens Buying Guide for Gadgets Says: November 11, 2008 at 4:01 pm
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