What will aircraft look like in 85 years? Finnair, which is celebrating its 85th birthday, seeks to answer that question on its fun new web site Departure 2093 at www.departure2093.com
One of my favourite of five visions for future aircraft is the so-called A600-850M "wide-bodied, zero-emission supersonic aircraft". This 600 to 850-seat aircraft - which looks not unlike a sharply edged paper airplane - boasts a dream interior. Entertainment and wellness services are situated under the cabin.
Says Finnair:
In these areas the windows are replaced with AV windows, offering zoomable views of the sky or downwards to earth. The cabin has intelligent seats, which adjust to the passenger's weight, height and age.
The seats assist passengers when they wish to stand up, and while in the seat, passengers can have their pulse, blood pressure and body temperature measured or enjoy a light massage and heat treatment.
The seats are equipped with Internet and satellite links, and the backrest of each seat has a 20-inch 3D display. Passengers can set a sound-insulated space between their own and neighbouring seats so that their speech cannot be heard by others.
Check out the rest of the future fleet images, including the "Space Hotel's service ship", which will of course ferry honeymooners and other passengers to the 450-bed Space Hotel. Book me a room. I'll only be 118 years young.
Generally, this look into the future is pretty weak, nothing that hasn't been seen already. One of the designs simply looks like someone photoshopped an existing airplane and a frisbee, circa 1950's sci-fi "flying machine". Hopefully, increased demand from BRIC countries will spurn more industry competition and drastically different innovation compared to today's visions.
BUK
Will there even be a Finnair in the year 2093 ? I though that, more recently, the vision for the future was 5, maybe 6 Global airlines within a couple of decades at the latest?
The aircraft look like stuff we've already seen. But then again, they may be trying to make the point that radical changes aren't going to happen easily in aviation, that maybe it will really take 85 years for us to see these things take to take to the air.
Thats a thing! Someone have to create a vision...even we dont believed now...but it may change our thoughts or ideas to something which will be reality...or not.
I like the way you think, Mark. Creative vision - big or small or sideways - is still worthwhile. I take buk's point, however, that we've seen most of these ideas before. Let's give a hand to the Jettsons cartoon makers.