- Air travel is expected to grow rapidly over the next 50 years and there is the likelihood that the air craft industry will be unable to keep up. Manufactures nowadays are under increasing pressure to cut noise and emissions from aircraft. According to estimates, the number of passengers will double every 15 years and triple every 23 years. Here are some of the responses to the increasing demand. The A380 is a King-size, double-decker aircraft able to seat 555 passengers, about 155 more that current jumbos. The A380 will have a lounge, a bar, showers and a gym. This "super-jumbo" is designed for heavily traveled routes such as London to Singapore, London to New York and Tokyo to Los Angeles. NASA, however, believes that smaller aircraft are more viable. This would involve travelers using smaller airports in order to relieve pressure on the larger airports. These planes will seat 4-8 passengers and would be affordable to the general public. There would be no need for a pilot. The smaller planes proposed by NASA would also be electric, thus reducing emissions. Scientists are also working on hypersonic planes that would enable passengers to travel from London to Sydney in 30 MINUTES. Hypersonic aircraft can travel as fast as five times the speed of sound (Mach 5)!
| 1. | Air travel is expected to decline over the next 50 years. | ||
| 2. | Manufactures are under pressure to cut noise and emissions from aircraft. | ||
| 3. | The number of passengers will triple every 23 years. | ||
| 4. | The A380 can carry more than 600 passengers. | ||
| 5. | NASA believes that smaller aircraft are a better solution. | ||
| 6. | Hypersonic planes could travel from London to Sydney in one hour. |
