Aircraft Design Possibilities

Extract

I hope that I shall be forgiven if I deal only in part with this subject, and also if I approach it from the airline engineer's point of view, although what I have to say is a personal expression of opinion.

Airlines are commercial undertakings and do not welcome change for change's sake. To improve service competitively from the point of view of time, regularity and safety and to encourage the continued growth of traffic through reductions in fares is the broad aim; it is against this background that, for example, the supersonic transport is being considered by the airlines. As you may have gathered, there is no marked enthusiasm. In due course, come it will, and traffic management plans must bear it in mind in considering future developments in Air Traffic Management. I am going to adopt the rather conservative attitude that most air traffic over the next two decades will be in aircraft much as we know them at present, and that if the growth in traffic leads to difficulties in Air Traffic Management then the main source of improvement must be sought in the system of management.