Story Archives of 'Airplanes'

A lot has changed in passenger air travel over the past fifty years or so. People used to put on their Sunday best when travelling "the friendly skies." Now it’s a much more casual experience, to say the least. Prices and fees have changed over time, of course, security has tightened, and paper tickets are practically a thing of the past.

But one thing hasn’t changed much over the years - the shape of our aircraft. For a long time now, we’ve been boarding – essentially – long tubes with rows of seats inside and two wings jutting out the sides. But according to travel writer Clive Irving, that could change drastically over the coming decades. His recent article in Condé Nast Traveler forecasts that by 2030, we could be flying around in fuel-efficient, environmentally-friendly behemoths that look like stingrays and have theater seating inside.

Clive is senior consulting editor for the magazine and author of many books, including Wide Body – The Triumph of the 747. He joins us with more on changes we might see to the design of airplanes, and how the airline industry may be pushing itself to go green before politicians start laying down the law and restricting air travel. He also discusses Boeing's X-48B prototype, designed in England by Cranfield Aerospace, an experimental "blended wing" aircraft.

Watch a video of Clive Irving explaining the future of flight:

(Photo of the Boeing X-48B courtesy of Boeing)