Today is National Aviation Day!
December 1903 marked man’s first true attempt to conquer the skies. Since then, we have flown passengers to every edge of the globe, gone supersonic and walked on the moon all in the last 115 years. So what will the next 50 years of progress look like?
Supersonic Flight
As I type, there are men and women working to bring sustainable and efficient supersonic flight to both commercial and business aviation. Sure, the Concorde made the hop from JFK to Heathrow at twice the speed of sound, but it was never really economically viable. Aerion Supersonic has teamed up with Boeing and GE to produce a supersonic business jet (SSBJ) that is slated to enter service in 2025
Aerion AS2
Space Travel
Cities like Houston, Texas are already investing huge amounts of money into a future of space travel. The long-term goal of Houston’s Spaceport and facilities like it is the idea of orbital or sub-orbital travel. In a future where we have a safe and effecient way to get into low earth orbit, trips around the globe that currently take 15+ hours on air carriers can be completed in a little over an hour. Not to mention, trips to further locales, like Mars may become more routine.
Houston Spaceport
Urban Air Mobility
Uber has made it clear that they intend to take to the skies to provide air connectivity high above the traffic on the streets below. It may seem far-fetched until you understand that Boeing, Embraer ,and Bell Helicopter (to name a few) are all heavily involved in the research and development of the program. This project aligns with a similar objective to bring electric turbines to the aircraft market - promising a quieter, greener, more reliable alternative.
Uber Elevate
The Future of Aviation is Bright
Aviation has always pushed the boundaries of what is humanly possible. With a new onset of fresh ideas and creative vision, the next generation of flight is well underway. No matter what the future will look like, I know aviation will continue to be at the forefront of innovation and continue to make the world a smaller, more connected place.
Cameron Tipton, ASA, ARM-MTS
Author:
Cameron Tipton, ASA, ARM-MTS
accredited senior appraiser
appraisal review & management - MTS
