Part of the fun in each year’s leading air shows comes in the showboating. Whether it’s the newest, best window technology from PPG, the sexiest landing gear from Goodrich or the quietest, most efficient jet engine from Pratt and Whitney, people love seeing new products and the way that our future might look.
And just like auto shows around the planet, where concept cars with futuristic designs are displayed in front of lush, velvet curtains, the airframe manufacturers of 2010 have concept planes. Instead of building a $50m prototype, however, Airbus and Boeing just use a healthy dose of computer graphics with a heaping spoonful of marketing on top.
This year’s concept fluff comes from the Farnborough Airshow where Airbus, Europe’s largest airframe manufacturer and fierce competitor to Boeing is showing of it’s latest aircraft of the future.
Chock full of engineering marvels such as a “U” shaped tail and a streamlined engine profile, Airbus says that the passenger airplane of the future will feature marvelous new materials, from transparency-shifting windows to comfy, form fitting seats. You can check out all of the details over at The Daily Mail.
Don’t plan on seeing this aircraft anytime soon though, this uber concept model could only be ready by 2030 or 2050 — and by then, we’ll probably all be flying around in our own personal jetcars instead.