What do YOU think aircraft of the future will look like?

[Skyguns MKII]

i found this interesting, http://www.youtube.com/ge%3Fx=us_whatsnew_1967. Different frames and different powerplants. Let alone smart self repairing tech.

[AKKuya]

I like the kid's reply that the future propellers will be made out of bologna sandwiches.

[curry1]

Unmanned.

[FYB]

Unmanned.

The last generation of jet pilots is here. Unmanned aircraft are dominating.

[Wildcat1]

Unmanned.

The systems can get hacked into, and as long as that happens, there will always be a need for pilots

[PuppetZ]

In the future we'll all live in vats like in the Matrix.... or are we....

[titanic3]

Unmanned recon vehicles, manned armed vehicles.
There are already developments in invisible objects, give it 50 years and we might see invisible planes.
Planes armed with laser weaponry, on fighter planes that is.
Entire network of planes linked globally.
2:1 thrust to weight ratio planes capable of amazing stunts.
Supersonic cruise becomes a must on all planes.
Maximum speed increases.
I would assume they would figure out a way for planes to run without using fuel or using extremely small amounts of fuel.

[BoilerDown]

Other than going with electric power plants in prop planes, I don't think there's a lot more that can be done.  Just squeezing the last drops out of the lemon at this point.  Which is one reason why I transferred out of Aeronautical Engineering.  Lighter, more fuel efficient, using standard instead of aircraft-grade fuels, sure, but the aircraft themselves will look pretty much identical to now.

[Jayhawk]

Other than going with electric power plants in prop planes, I don't think there's a lot more that can be done.  Just squeezing the last drops out of the lemon at this point.  Which is one reason why I transferred out of Aeronautical Engineering.  Lighter, more fuel efficient, using standard instead of aircraft-grade fuels, sure, but the aircraft themselves will look pretty much identical to now.

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
-- Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.

"Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value."
-- Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.

"Everything that can be invented has been invented."
-- Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.

[titanic3]

Its going to take two more World Wars to compete with the levels of advancement during the 20th century. It scares me to think how people will kill each other 89 years from now.

[GNucks]

There are already developments in invisible objects, give it 50 years and we might see invisible planes.

See... invisible... what? 

[saggs]

For GA..   I think diesel powerplants will become more and more popular. No lead keeps the EPA happy, the fuel is common everywhere, is not a niche market like 100ll and can made from plants and leftover fry oil.   Even Continental has a certified diesel now.  Electric powerplants may have a future too, if they can develop much, much better battery technology.  I remember reading about a prototype electric 172,  I think the total run time on a full charge was like 30 minutes... and that was with solar panels all over the top of the wing helping it.  Also I bet we will see more and more stronger, lighter composites in airframes.  Cheaper small turbines (think Allison 250) for small singles would be great too.

For airlines...  Personally I hope that ultra-high bypass and unducted fan (propfan) engines make a comeback,

remember this guy...

Back in the 80s after the oil embargo they where all the buzz and where gonna be the future because of their superior efficiency, but that all faded out when fuel got cheap in the 90s.  Now that fuel prices are high again I keep thinking they will try and develop them some more.  The biggest issue as I understand it is that they are just to dang loud.  Also I bet after the 787 all new airliners will be composite.

For the really long term I think pulse jet powered hypersonic airliners would be pretty neat.


For military fighters/attack planes I predict that the F-35 will be the last major manned fighter development, and pulse jets and scram jets will replace turbojets and turbofans

[DREDIOCK]

The systems can get hacked into, and as long as that happens, there will always be a need for pilots

Self contained Pre programed artificial intelligence

[coombz]

it beats dealing with the airlines...

[Angus]

The systems can get hacked into, and as long as that happens, there will always be a need for pilots

It takes the same hacking to render a manned jet unusable. Remember that today an air-to-air kill is normally not so well visible.

Just as well, a drone can be equipped with characteristics that allow much higher g-tolerances than a manned aircraft, as well as not having to worry about the pilots life or comfort/environment.

Still, there will always be a need for pilots. But as frontline meat, I think it will be ging down....