Literally, in a short span of few decades aircrafts have pioneered some unimaginable barriers, cruised to speed of light, maneuvered vertical take offs, executed safe landing, and visited moon and mars. But after listening numerous paeans of these wonder crafts it is quite obvious and tempt ting to think, what lies ahead? What are the complications that in future lies? Confused just like other inhabitants of aerospace world. Here comes a sigh of relief for you. Just open your minds and tie down your seat belts for an enthralling ride into the future of Aircrafts. Through these well researched answers to six intriguing questions that keep creeping up in Aerospace world.
Q1 With launch of an aircraft carrying 1000 people Airbus has captured the extremes of science and technology. So, what's up next in Boeing camp?
Airbus's new A380, the world's largest commercial airplane, exemplifies the European aircraft maker's belief in strong demand for an aircraft that can transport volumes. Its launch this year emanated with it turbulence in Boeing's camp. Meanwhile Boeing is placing its bets on developments in the midsize market, where it hopes to get a one-up on Airbus. The US aviator's new 787 Dreamliner was conceived with the expectation that passengers prefer to fly point-to-point rather than having to change planes at busy hubs. The Chicago-based company built the plane using a high proportion of composite materials to save on fuel and maintenance costs, giving some relief to airlines plagued with soaring fuel bills. All in all a nice smiling stroll aboard for frequent travelers around the world.
Q2 Is notion of Aero-elastic wings and morphing conceivable in future Air carriers?
Aeronautical engineers are going beyond wings that merely flex, but developing aircraft surfaces changing themselves from one shape into another, much as arm muscles bulge and flatten. These possibilities arise largely from the use of so-called smart materials, a broad range of substances that can shorten, elongate, flex, and otherwise respond mechanically to electricity, heat, light, or magnetic fields .Even on a modest scale, such reshaping of aircraft contours could greatly enhance vehicle control ,performance and fuel efficiency up to 20%. Twenty years on you would be astonished to see aircrafts powered with unimaginable features for instance wings that can telescope, curl, or fold--may be on the way, yielding extraordinarily versatile airplanes and missiles that change their shapes according to the missions and environment they are expected to perform in.
Q3 Future of Un Armed Vehicles (UAV's) and feasibility of pilot less aircrafts in next decade?
Imagine in an military operation, you need crucial information about enemies movement, don't worry you don't have to send in some intelligence , small miniature aircraft UAV's monitored by satellite and a army van loaded with computers will serve the purpose, downloading the pictures and then sending them back to mainstation,It can also launch a combat operation through laser guided missile attacks, this may sound like a star wars episode, but this is future of wars where all army operation would be fully integrated through the networks of UAV's controlled through a key pad by human beings in army bases. With more advancement UAV would master morphing changing their shapes and functionalities according to different combat situations.
But how come UAV's be forced to fetter away from commercial airlines cockpit. The great innovation in UAV's contemplates us perceiving an aircraft without Pilot. But can lives of so many people traveling be risked in the hands of quirky machines. Ironically the history of aviation profound with countless accidents and casualties involving human being as pilots but this error element would be zeroed in with advanced UAVs.UAV's are still in testing phase, as they are powered with more independence and become self-reliant they will surely find their way into cockpits, till then you have to pray god that your pilot might not be day dreaming about his fiancé in London. Good bye happy journey.
Q4 Will there be another supersonic Flight?
Man's dream of a supersonic flight plunged after Concorde project went into quagmires due to financial constraints. But still some believe that there might be another possibility in next 20 yrs as these new alternate technologies capable of flying at the speed of light flourishes.
The pulse detonation engine: This uses supersonic shock waves to compress and ignite fuel and air almost instantaneously, but will take about 20 years to mature.
The Hyper soar is a notion behind an aircraft flying at 10 times the speed of sound, swindrifting the earth within 3 hours. Using hydrogen fuel, it would use air-breathing, rocket-based engines to ascend to the outer limits of the Earth's atmosphere where it would cruise in oscillatory motion, in and out of the atmosphere. If it's conceived to reality, it would be great to see financiers of space programmes in smiles, making access to space really cheaper.
Q5 Mankind's dream of space tours, colonizing moon or mars remains unabated. Is it still a distant dream or a jubilation in near future?
It has been rightly said that money always restrains dreams. Space agencies around the world are pulling out their hand off lavish space tours. Using a rocket to get into space is proving to be quite costly. As rockets gluts large amount of fuel, hard to control and are not reusable. Here alternate paths, re-useable space planes powered by high-performance jet engines have huge advantages over rockets. These engines if used to reach the edge of space have been proven to be much easier to control, maintain and refuel.
Q6 what's going on in NASA's camp?
As 20th century melts its way, different forms air crafts and vehicles will replace the junky clutter of today's machines. There will be new advanced aircrafts whisking the passengers at ultra sonic speeds around the earth and into the space. NASA's recent researches have been targeted at providing long range inter oceanic commercial flights. It's also planning to introduce nuclear power in its fuels list for futures crafts, powering the way to new dawn in space.
That's NASA's prelusion to 21st century quite clear and ambitious too. If everything emotes preplanned then you might be intimidated by your children saying "Dad we're buying a flat in Mars".
In this article, we have really butchered the aircrafts, warped them, sped them to a whisker, and changed their fuels. The Aircrafts rights commission might strangulate us on the charges of "cruelty against innocent machines". So let me stop you here for a breather. Just close your eyes and imagine a car sized flying saucer landing in your backyard, seems quite frantic but that's the future of Aircrafts, weird but shining.
About Author
Naveen Kumar a budding writer from India.He has a unique claque of articles, abstracts and fiction stories on http://www.naveen-xpress.blogspot.com For poetry enthusiasts he has compiled a unique and interesting list of poems that will oozes down your hearts being in rage, at http://www.poem-xpress.blogspot.com