By Bikram Vohra
While reams are written on Airbus and Boeing, other events tend to get short shrift. One of the exciting dimensions is the futuristic promise that one needs to seek out because it is tomorrow. The Boomeaero supersonic passenger plane could turn an international long-range flight concept on its head. Says Boom: United will purchase 15 of Boom’s ‘Overture’ airliners once Overture meets United’s demanding safety, operating and sustainability requirements, with an option for 35 more aircraft.
Slated to carry passengers in 2029, the net-zero carbon aircraft will fly on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Marked for service in 2029, it will fly twice as fast as current planes and carry up to 80 passengers—just another five years down the line leaving no carbon footprint.
Qatar Airways did not bring any Airbus in its livery and underscored its peeve with the consortium by signing up for 50 Boeing 737Max aircraft, giving Boeing another boost and a lead in the numbers game.
Of interest today was the accent on the XA100 adaptive cycle engine. Designed, built and tested through the US Air Force’s Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP), the XA100 represents a step-change in propulsion that maximizes the F-35A and F-35C’s capabilities for decades to come. And makes it a very potent fighter option. Boeing is on a good run and used its momentum to stress the suitability of the Super Hornet F18s to safely operate from aircraft carriers during operational tests at INS Hansa, Goa.
That was the only Indian touch. Between the Delta sale and the easyjet and Feel air deals, the silence from the Indian side is deafening. Airbus even presented its ZEROe – Zero emission – turboprop.
The hybrid-hydrogen turboprop engines, which drive eight-bladed propellers with totally clean emissions, sparked a fair amount of interest. Embraer is also working on a turboprop prototype with the unconfirmed rumour that India will partner with it. We should see tangible evidence next year since the short-haul market demand could double in that time.
In the air, the Beluga XL stole the show as this whale of a plane lumbered into the air, its shape defying aerodynamics with disdain.
Another pointer to tomorrow comes from the imminent agreement between the UK and Japan on the next generation Tempest and F-X fighter programmes…could make now gen fighters obsolete.
As the day closed, one machine caught the eye: the Bell V-280 Valor, marketed as the one weapons system with the flight-proven agility, speed, range and endurance for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) mission.
