All this hype about A380 - travel with 6m other people on the plane (god-forbid I fly coach on it, or there is an around-the-world baby-tour
), have the space to move around, in-flight stores...... what happened to the old “please keep your seatbelt fastened even when the seatbelt sign is turned off”?
Do I really want people chatting down mobiles on the flight? Do I really want to be bothered on blackberry while flying and trying to overcome sub-standard food and jetlag? Not really (at least not me…). Flights are a sanctuary, chill-out, catch up on books, films, perhaps a little bit of work, have some drinks, no mobiles, sleep.
I never got to fly Concorde (which I deeply regret
) which I think (and many agree) was one of, if not THE, biggest engineering achievement in history. JFK-CDG or LHR in a shade over 3 hours – that’s what I’m talking about. I say bring it back. Its not about Boeing being non-innovative with the “boring” 747-8, its about developing the Concorde 2.0. Big is good, fast is better (obviously talking about technology here
) Do I really care if BA can take 500 people to New York? No. But I care if they can take me in <3hrs.
From the ever-accurate Wikipedia:
“In November 2003, EADS, parent company of the Airbus aircraft manufacturing company, announced that it was considering working with Japanese companies to develop a larger, faster replacement for Concorde.However, recent news reports suggest only $1m is being invested every year into research, much less than the $1bn needed for the development of a viable supersonic airliner.
In October 2005, JAXA, the Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency, undertook aerodynamic testing of a scale model of an airliner designed to carry 300 passengers at Mach 2. If pursued to commercial deployment, it would be expected to be in service around 2020 – 2025.
Research into supersonic business jets continues. The British company Reaction Engines Limited, with 50% EU money, are researching LAPCAT, a design for a hydrogen-fuelled plane carrying 300 passengers, capable of flying nonstop from Brussels to Sydney at Mach 5+ in 4.6 hours.”
DISCUSS! or just vote for the cause.....^