The Stratos is one of those commercial planes that actually makes me think “this is how the future will look like”. Rather than just being the same old basic design that has been with us forever now, the Stratos has a large 237-foot wingspan and two massive engines mounted on the back, giving it a way more stylized design than monsters like the Airbus A380. Its features, even compared to the A380, are impressive:

• Two Roll Royce Trent-like engines, capable of developing up to 95,000 lbf.
• 55,000 feet altitude ceiling.
• 505 knots cruise speed at 47,000 feet
• 208-foot long body (which in combination with the wings gives it that stylized look).
• 10,400 nautical miles range.
• 256 passengers in an all-sleeper, double-deck configuration (if only all inter-continental places were all-sleepers).
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Take a gander at this oddly wide airplane with the three engines in back. This could be the method of air travel by the year 2030.

NASA has recently started a little pet project, cooperating with engineers from MIT to create planes that are more fuel-efficient, quieter, not to mention environmentally friendly.

All I can say is “It’s About Time!” I’ve been hearing so much about how our cars need to become hybrids or electric, and they need to be cleaner for Mother Earth, but very little has been said about those jumbo jets. I mean, they are one of the least-fuel efficient vehicles that we have, and they are as loud as…well, a jetplane.

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