Industrial designer Shabtai Hirshberg has shared his view of the future of air transportation. Hirshberg’s commercial aircraft concept is designed for Virgin Airlines, and comes packed with a slew of inventive features.
The first thing you’ll notice about this aircraft is its futuristic design. This plane has hybrid engines, cutting fuel costs by 30 percent. Another interesting feature is that this plane is designed to land on water. This would more than likely double (if not triple) the number of destinations Hirshberg’s aircraft could travel to. The interior of the craft has stadium seating, meaning it slopes downward, and carry-on luggage is stowed in the floor. While Shabtai Hirshberg’s design is way ahead of its time, don’t be shocked if you see a few features pop up in aircraft of the future. The stadium seating and ability to land on water are especially intriguing.
Amphibious Airliners
Shabtai Hirshberg’s Airplane Concept Makes Use of Aquatic Runways
Trend Themes
1. Amphibious Airliners - Designing aircraft that can land on water would allow for more destinations to be accessible to airlines, creating new tourism and transportation opportunities.
2. Hybrid Engines - Developing aircraft with hybrid engines can significantly reduce fuel costs for airlines, offering a disruptive innovation opportunity in the transportation industry.
3. Stadium Seating - Implementing stadium seating in aircraft can increase passenger capacity and enhance comfort during travel, presenting a new market opportunity for airlines.
Industry Implications
1. Commercial Airline - The development of amphibious aircraft concepts presents a disruptive innovation opportunity that can create new transportation and tourism opportunities.
2. Green Energy - The integration of hybrid engines in aircraft design presents disruptive innovation opportunities that can significantly reduce fuel costs for airlines and contribute to sustainability efforts.
3. Furniture and Interior Design - Developing stadium seating for commercial aircrafts presents an opportunity for businesses within the furniture and interior design industry to create new products specifically for air travel.