November 27th, 2010
SIMON WEBSTER
Volcanoes are set to become all the rage, lifestyle experts say, thanks to their ability to ground planes, ground people and improve the ground in backyard vegie patches. They also provide wonderful sunsets. Or sunrises. It’s hard to tell what time of day it is after a while. Read the rest of this entry »
September 24th, 2010
Airbus hopes to build a passenger plane with a completely transparent fuselage. Picture: Airbus
BOEING Australia boss Ian Thomas says the Airbus’ “invisible” concept plane is interesting, but Australian passengers are keener to make it to New York in 12 minutes.
Speaking in Brisbane on Thursday, Mr Thomas outlined his vision of supersonic scramjet engines, space travel and nanotechnology.
The company’s largest rival, Airbus, is developing the ability for the fuselage on some of its aircraft to become invisible.
The futuristic design will allow travellers to look down on cities and landscapes below.
“Invisible airplanes and see-through airplanes are all very interesting, but I’d rather get to New York in 12 minutes,” Mr Thomas told the Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce.
Teamed with University of Queensland (UQ) researchers, Boeing Research and Technology Australia is part of an international consortium developing scramjet-based access-to-space systems.
The project aims to develop systems for an autonomous scramjet vehicle capable of flying at Mach 8, or 8600km/h.
Scramjet concepts will be tested at even greater speeds, up to Mach 14, in UQ’s world-class hypersonic ground-test facilities.
But commercial passengers will have to wait a while before Mach 1 travel becomes the norm, let alone Mach 14.
Instead of building a supersonic commercial airplane, Mr Thomas said Boeing most recently decided to bulk manufacture the slower, but more fuel efficient, 787 Dreamliner.
With a top speed of Mach 0.85, the aeroplane has a range of about 15,000km and carries about 280 passengers.
The decision has paid dividends, he said, with the Dreamliner now becoming the fastest selling jetliner in history with more than 840 orders from 56 airlines, including 50 for Qantas.
“The market really wanted something that was more fuel efficient and more economically viable,” Mr Thomas said.
“I’m not sure many of us are able to spend another $10,000 or $20,000 to arrive a few hours early.
August 13th, 2010
STRIKES are set to close the UK’s largest airports in the coming weeks. The strike will affect not only Heathrow, but also Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Southampton and Stansted airports.
The union Unite, which orchestrated the recent British Airways (BA) cabin crew strikes, Read the rest of this entry »
August 6th, 2010
Lucy Tobin
British Airways today moved a step closer to its £5 billion merger with Spain’s Iberia after winning approval from the European Union’s competition regulator.
The British flag carrier was also given approval to develop its oneworld alliance on transatlantic routes with American Airlines, Read the rest of this entry »
August 6th, 2010
By JANE WARDELL (AP)
FARNBOROUGH, England — Virgin America announced plans to buy 40 new Airbus A320 aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow on Thursday, the last major business day at the biennial event that has this year witnessed a revival in commercial aviation. Read the rest of this entry »
