Future of Air Travel: Predictions. By 2050 there will be:

Feuer Frei! · 06-26-11, 06:49 AM

Stale dry air, narrow seats, jammed overhead compartments: today's air passenger has to be a real flying nut to think plane travel is any fun. But engineers at European manufacturer Airbus say they're working on ways to improve things. Implementing the changes will probably take up to four decades, but they assure us the result will be more than worth the wait.
Flying in 2050 is going to be a real pleasure, the manufacturer says, with a 360-degree panoramic view whenever the "intelligent cabin membrane" is set on transparent, and a virtual golf course on board. Realistic projects, or overactive imaginations? "Engineers dream too," says Charles Champion, Airbus head of development. The Frenchman also points out that some of those dreams are already being implemented and may be launched in as little as 10 years from now.
One of the new ideas engineers are currently playing with involves harvesting passenger body heat to meet some of the plane's energy needs. Another idea refers to seats being upholstered with self-cleaning fabrics that adapt to each individual body form. (See photos of the "plane of the future.")
The first, business and economy class system would be abandoned: "It's not what people want," Champion says. Instead, there would be individual seating arrangements.
Innovations would by no means stop there. In the "vitalizing zone," for example, the air would be vitamin-enriched, while in the "interaction zone," passengers could enjoy virtual games of golf high up over the clouds, or go shopping and try on the latest fashions in virtual changing cabins. Through the cabin's transparent membrane, passengers would be able to gaze at the mountain peaks below them, and would be given information about the name of each summit and its exact height. State of the art communication with the ground would mean that business people could take part in video conferences at 33,000 feet, and that Mom or Dad could read bed time stories to their kids back home.

This cabin of the future — whose shape was modeled after birds — is part of Airbus's total concept for 2050. CEO Thomas Enders says the company expects the demand for aircraft to go up worldwide despite on-going problems faced by many airlines, particularly in Europe. (See 20 reasons to hate airlines.)
"Air travel continues to hold more long-term growth potential than virtually any other sector," Enders told the German newspaper "Welt am Sonntag." According to Airbus figures, air travel currently makes up 8%, or 580 billion dollars worth of the European gross domestic product. The sector employs 33 million people worldwide.
Airbus engineer Champion says that the three biggest current challenges are "that people want flying to be cheap, efficient and environmentally friendly." The sector has to find satisfactory answers to those demands, which is why flying will probably look completely different a few decades down the road. "By 2050, the sector will be hauling 9 billion passengers around the world," Champion says.
All that additional traffic will be possible thanks to new safety technologies that will enable companies to increase the number of flights fivefold. And instead of flying solo, planes could fly in formation and dock during flights to save on fuel. Airbus developers are even toying with the idea of huge airborne aircraft carriers that passenger planes could land on and be transported by. (See how airlines are cashing in on extras.)
Airbus' visions for airports of the future no longer include gates. Instead, planes would roll right up — subway style — to a station, with passengers boarding quickly through several doors with touch screens for the check in. Luggage would be put on a conveyor and stored in the cabin.
If Champion sees a sticking point, it concerns the airports themselves: "We can come up with all kinds of great stuff, but when a plane has to circle for 40 minutes over Heathrow before landing, a lot of it gets lost."

SOURCE

Platapus · 06-26-11, 07:26 AM

All they need to do to make flying enjoyable is to cut down on the number of passengers per plane.

I would be willing to pay a lot more if only I could avoid the sardine can experience.

That's all I would need.

Feuer Frei! · 06-26-11, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Platapus

All they need to do to make flying enjoyable is to cut down on the number of passengers per plane.

I would be willing to pay a lot more if only I could avoid the sardine can experience.

That's all I would need.

Easily pleased

Infact all i want is the silly routes that airlines have to be directly linked, so when i'm wanting to fly from point A to point B, but to get to point B i have to fly to point C first, which is actually the opposite way of point B! And further away.
And then after waiting 3 or more hours in the terminal, we fly from point C to point B.

You can shove that where the sun don't shine.
Someone told me once that that has to do with airport taxes or some such thing.
That pees me off.

yubba · 06-26-11, 06:34 PM

I guess getting shot out of a cannon is out of the question.

Feuer Frei! · 06-26-11, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yubba

I guess getting shot out of a cannon is out of the question.

Not a chance. Unless you're Bobo the Clown and have access to a human cannon.

FIREWALL · 06-26-11, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yubba

I guess getting shot out of a cannon is out of the question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

Not a chance. Unless you're Bobo the Clown and have access to a human cannon.

krashkart · 06-26-11, 10:14 PM

Just replace some of the stewardesses with belly dancers and add private booth... oh wait...

I guess that wouldn't be 'family-friendly', would it?

TarJak · 06-27-11, 03:27 AM

I want to see solar propelled zeppelin travel ASAP.

vienna · 06-27-11, 06:34 PM

Sometimes it's the little things:

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/06/22/...t-call-button/

This qualifies, I think, as a "Duh, yeah!" moment for airline design. I'm sure this problem had come up for discussion many times before and was just pushed to the side...

krashkart · 06-27-11, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vienna

Sometimes it's the little things:

http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/06/22/...t-call-button/

This qualifies, I think, as a "Duh, yeah!" moment for airline design. I'm sure this problem had come up for discussion many times before and was just pushed to the side...

Always wondered what the unmarked aluminum button up there was for.

Blood_splat · 06-28-11, 10:15 AM

http://www.southparkstudios.com/clip...51/flexi-grips

STEED · 06-28-11, 12:18 PM

And the fuel will be a thing of the past almost, so what are planes going to run off?

Fart power!

Gerald · 06-28-11, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STEED

And the fuel will be a thing of the past almost, so what are planes going to run off?

Fart power!

Right, from David Cameron

MH · 06-28-11, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STEED

Fart power!

not sure farting will be legal by 2050.

STEED · 06-28-11, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vendor

Right, from David Cameron

That bloody washer women windbag!

Quote:

Originally Posted by MH

not sure farting will be legal by 2050.

Great! another good reason to snuff it.

06-26-11, 06:49 AM	#1
Feuer Frei! Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Valhalla Posts: 5,295 Downloads: 141 Uploads: 17	Future of Air Travel: Predictions. By 2050 there will be: Stale dry air, narrow seats, jammed overhead compartments: today's air passenger has to be a real flying nut to think plane travel is any fun. But engineers at European manufacturer Airbus say they're working on ways to improve things. Implementing the changes will probably take up to four decades, but they assure us the result will be more than worth the wait. Flying in 2050 is going to be a real pleasure, the manufacturer says, with a 360-degree panoramic view whenever the "intelligent cabin membrane" is set on transparent, and a virtual golf course on board. Realistic projects, or overactive imaginations? "Engineers dream too," says Charles Champion, Airbus head of development. The Frenchman also points out that some of those dreams are already being implemented and may be launched in as little as 10 years from now. One of the new ideas engineers are currently playing with involves harvesting passenger body heat to meet some of the plane's energy needs. Another idea refers to seats being upholstered with self-cleaning fabrics that adapt to each individual body form. (See photos of the "plane of the future.") The first, business and economy class system would be abandoned: "It's not what people want," Champion says. Instead, there would be individual seating arrangements. Innovations would by no means stop there. In the "vitalizing zone," for example, the air would be vitamin-enriched, while in the "interaction zone," passengers could enjoy virtual games of golf high up over the clouds, or go shopping and try on the latest fashions in virtual changing cabins. Through the cabin's transparent membrane, passengers would be able to gaze at the mountain peaks below them, and would be given information about the name of each summit and its exact height. State of the art communication with the ground would mean that business people could take part in video conferences at 33,000 feet, and that Mom or Dad could read bed time stories to their kids back home. This cabin of the future — whose shape was modeled after birds — is part of Airbus's total concept for 2050. CEO Thomas Enders says the company expects the demand for aircraft to go up worldwide despite on-going problems faced by many airlines, particularly in Europe. (See 20 reasons to hate airlines.) "Air travel continues to hold more long-term growth potential than virtually any other sector," Enders told the German newspaper "Welt am Sonntag." According to Airbus figures, air travel currently makes up 8%, or 580 billion dollars worth of the European gross domestic product. The sector employs 33 million people worldwide. Airbus engineer Champion says that the three biggest current challenges are "that people want flying to be cheap, efficient and environmentally friendly." The sector has to find satisfactory answers to those demands, which is why flying will probably look completely different a few decades down the road. "By 2050, the sector will be hauling 9 billion passengers around the world," Champion says. All that additional traffic will be possible thanks to new safety technologies that will enable companies to increase the number of flights fivefold. And instead of flying solo, planes could fly in formation and dock during flights to save on fuel. Airbus developers are even toying with the idea of huge airborne aircraft carriers that passenger planes could land on and be transported by. (See how airlines are cashing in on extras.) Airbus' visions for airports of the future no longer include gates. Instead, planes would roll right up — subway style — to a station, with passengers boarding quickly through several doors with touch screens for the check in. Luggage would be put on a conveyor and stored in the cabin. If Champion sees a sticking point, it concerns the airports themselves: "We can come up with all kinds of great stuff, but when a plane has to circle for 40 minutes over Heathrow before landing, a lot of it gets lost." SOURCE __________________ "History is the lies that the victors agree on"- Napoleon LINK TO MY SH 3 MODS

06-26-11, 07:26 AM	#2
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,360 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	All they need to do to make flying enjoyable is to cut down on the number of passengers per plane. I would be willing to pay a lot more if only I could avoid the sardine can experience. That's all I would need. __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.

06-26-11, 10:14 PM	#7
krashkart Navy Seal Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 5,292 Downloads: 100 Uploads: 0	Just replace some of the stewardesses with belly dancers and add private booth... oh wait... I guess that wouldn't be 'family-friendly', would it? __________________ sent from my fingertips using a cheap keyboard

06-28-11, 12:18 PM	#12
STEED Lucky Jack Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Down Town UK Posts: 27,695 Downloads: 89 Uploads: 48	And the fuel will be a thing of the past almost, so what are planes going to run off? Fart power! __________________ Dr Who rest in peace 1963-2017. To borrow Davros saying...I NAME YOU CHIBNALL THE DESTROYER OF DR WHO YOU KILLED IT!

06-26-11, 06:34 PM	#4
yubba Admiral Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: in a neighborhood near you Posts: 2,478 Downloads: 293 Uploads: 2	I guess getting shot out of a cannon is out of the question.

06-27-11, 03:27 AM	#8
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	I want to see solar propelled zeppelin travel ASAP.

06-27-11, 06:34 PM	#9
vienna Navy Seal Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Anywhere but the here & now... Posts: 7,711 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Sometimes it's the little things: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/06/22/...t-call-button/ This qualifies, I think, as a "Duh, yeah!" moment for airline design. I'm sure this problem had come up for discussion many times before and was just pushed to the side...

06-28-11, 10:15 AM	#11
Blood_splat Samurai Navy Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Beneath the waves Posts: 568 Downloads: 20 Uploads: 0	http://www.southparkstudios.com/clip...51/flexi-grips