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By Bailey Holtz
The approach of a new year signals the revisiting of New Year’s resolutions. Many decide they will finally join that health club or save up that money or stop eating so much fast food. But here at Aviator Mercantile Post, were not preoccupied with these sorts of resolutions. What we find ourselves mulling over as 2019 comes to a close is: what new aviation innovations can we expect in the new year?
Aviation is more than a science or an industry. It’s a miracle that we support every day here at Aviator Mercantile Post. So naturally, we were thrilled to learn that there are some exciting new changes in both commercial and private flights for us to look forward to. Read on to learn about some of the things we are most eagerly awaiting! And good news: none of them involve calorie counting.
It seems for most of us that the advantages of commercial air travel have come at an annoying cost. And no, it’s not rising fares. It’s the seating. Anyone who has recently flown economy or lower on a plane knows how awful the experience can be. The advent of Basic Economy at United, Delta, and American Airlines, as well as the rise of budget airlines like Spirit, JetBlue, and Frontier have turned travel into something akin to torture. Legroom is a luxury to be enjoyed only by the shortest of us, movement of the arms is restricted to an arc from chin to knee, and even things like soda and peanuts are now withheld unless you cough up some serious dough.
Business Insider says that budget seating is both a response to consumers’ preference for the absolute cheapest tickets and a way for airlines to earn extra money. “Unbundling” the cost of the actual flight from the cost of flight amenities—in-flight meals, baggage handling, etc.—means that airlines can charge extra for those amenities, while giving passengers the “choice” to pay less (though, as most of us well know, there isn’t much “choice” of whether or not to check a bag). Flying is no longer a package deal, but an à la carte experience.
Now, though, Airbus is rolling out a response to these painful predicaments with its ultra-cool, ultra-comfortable airplane cabins. It’s A330 modular sleeping berths would fit into the lower cargo compartments of an A330 and are slated to become available in 2020. Airbus has also released some sketches of other new modular spaces that could be installed in the airplane, including a children’s play area, a medical care zone, and a lounge. Sounds like something out of a fantasy novel? Check out the mock-ups for yourself. Someday, your child might play in a ball pit while you sip wine in the lounge next door—all while 35,000 feet in the air. Qantas has already implemented some futuristic changes to its crafts: it recently redid its first-class and economy seating, expanding the onboard lounge.
You might, of course, be thinking: these perks apply only to the hotshots who already travel in luxurious circumstances. While that is, for the most part, true, there is still a shift in the lower classes towards a more all-inclusive (read: humane) flying experience. Delta has been experimenting with the reintroduction of perks into economy travel, leading airlines in a march back to higher standards for air travel. They have already tested several long-haul flights that include hot towels and complimentary cocktails for economy passengers. Needless to say, these small acts of courtesy were massively popular. It seems that in 2020, airlines will continue to adjust and adapt to the following passenger feedback: we appreciate cheap flights, but we don’t want to be treated like baggage.
Our world is rapidly evolving in the direction of electric and self-driven vehicles. As climate change and the human environmental footprint becomes an increasingly pervasive concern, aircraft manufacturers and airlines are turning their gaze toward electricity as a more sustainable alternative to fuel. Already, electric and self-driven vehicles are on our streets and soon might be in our skies in increasing numbers.
Electric planes are fast becoming a reality, but manufacturers are taking baby steps towards large-scale commercial electric air travel. Ampaire Inc. has converted a six-passenger Cessna into a hybrid model, with a conventional combustion engine and an electric motor. Meanwhile, in Europe, the extraordinary E-Genius, a fully electric two-seater aircraft, can fly with zero emissions, using no fuel. And what is perhaps most mind-boggling is that it is incredibly cheap, costing only $3 to fly 62 miles. If that doesn’t get the attention of our money-hungry commercial airlines, then we don’t know what will.
Automation is not quite as straightforward a matter as going electric. Optimists and proponents say that pilot-less planes could make an appearance as early as 2025. And indeed, most planes these days are partially automated, with pilots relying on computers to complete at least some of their piloting duties. In the industry, these are referred to as one-half pilot planes—planes guided partially by a pilot, partially by a computer system.
Automatization itself, therefore, is not the biggest hurdle. The biggest hurdle is the vast amount of unexpected events that can occur in-flight, which could post insurmountable problems for a computer system that is not sentient. A human can rely on her or his skills and instincts in a mid-air crisis; a computer has neither of those things. Plus, much of the public is iffy on being shuttled around in self-flying planes. So, while self-flying planes seem like a very cool, very hip invention, for right now, we’ll continue to rely on the expertise of a trained aviator.
Automatization of planes has come as a response to a significant shortage of skilled pilots. We admittedly are in mild disbelief at this (our immediate question is: why WOULDN’T you want to be a pilot?...maybe that’s just us), but the numbers don’t lie: there is far more demand than supply. Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenberg predicts that over the next ten years, the amount of new commercial airplanes will rise from 43,000 to 44,000. To fly all these planes, it is estimated that we will need 800,000 able pilots, according to CNBC. That’s a whole lot more pilots than the 200,000 currently in service. And to make matters even worse, many working pilots will reach the mandatory retirement age of 65 within the next ten years. This all points to a pilot shortage that will become a serious impediment to fluid commercial flight in the coming years.
Historically, this shortage has been linked in part to deregulation and in part to the hit airlines took after 9/11, says CNN. Additionally, most pilots used to come from the military, where their training was paid for. Now, only about a third of pilots are ex-military, meaning that two-thirds of pilots must pay their own way through flight school. And as we discussed in a previous post, flight school is not cheap, making it difficult for aviation-aspirants to commit to.
Despite these long-standing challenges to entry, piloting is an incredibly rewarding, exciting, and obviously in-demand career. The cost of flight school is a valid and significant obstacle, but there are alternatives that lessen the financial burden. Now, aviation programs at universities like Utah Valley and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University teach students to become pilots and aerospace engineers. While not free, you can apply for student loans—which are far easier to obtain than private loans—to complete the programs. And the opportunities out of college abound; you’ll be entering into a welcoming field in desperate need of your skills. As we learned, automated flight is still part of the distant future and won’t be replacing pilots anytime soon. For anyone who desires a flexible entry into aviation, avoiding, say, military service, these types of institutions might just be your ticket.
Good, bad, exciting or all three: however you see the future of aviation, it certainly looks wild, promising, and full of possibility. Through ups and downs, the field of aviation has always remained at the cutting edge, utilizing the latest technologies and carefully taking the pulse of the public. That’s why we at Aviator Mercantile Post love making it part of our new year’s preparations. Join in the fun by following us on social media. There’s always something new happening—let us be the ones who tell you about it.
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