ON THE HORIZON

Three possibilities for flights of the future

1. Battery-powered planes

The adoption of electric cars has been slowly gaining momentum, with more manufacturers investing in research and development in this area. When it comes to aviation, there are no battery-powered planes that are viable for commercial aviation yet, but many start-ups and established players are working on battery and electric engine technologies that may just make zero-emissions flights a reality in the future.

2. Supersonic flying

Supersonic planes, which exceed the speed of sound, used to be a reality, most notably in the form of the much-missed Concorde, which ended its service in 2003 due to low passenger numbers and rising maintenance costs. But some companies haven’t given up on this dream—prototypes now exist for supersonic aircraft that fly quieter than the Concorde, though commercial viability remains a potential stumbling block.

3. Round trips

Thinking way out of the box, plane manufacturer Airbus filed a patent for a “flying doughnut” design in 2014. This concept plane, which remains hypothetical for now, features a circular cabin that is much roomier than those in conventional planes, with economy and business class sections in different rings. It might be discombobulating to fly while seated in a circle, but it might also feel like a fun UFO experience.