Manufacturing, technology, and the future of flight
The Concorde flew its final commercial flight in 2003. That was twenty-three years ago. Since then, commercial aviation has accelerated in efficiency and coverage, but not in speed. The fastest passenger aircraft today cruise barely faster than the fastest aircraft did in 1970. The technological stagnation is striking when you consider the progress in nearly … Read more
Boeing’s 737 MAX is back. The aircraft that was grounded worldwide for 21 months returned to service in late 2020, and the order backlog today exceeds 4,500 units. Yet Airbus’s A320 family maintains a commanding lead with over 7,000 aircraft on backorder. The numerical advantage understates Airbus’s position. They’re delivering faster, facing fewer production challenges, … Read more
The aviation industry burns through roughly 90 million tons of jet fuel annually. That number won’t drop significantly without a major shift in fuel technology. Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF, has moved from theoretical solution to operational reality at most major airlines, yet production still lags behind demand by a factor of ten. I’ve watched … Read more