What passenger planes might look like in 2068

RV_ · February 15, 2018

When I find interesting things that add to the world view of many that the ICE age is winding down, I pay attention to new investment opportunities. Sometime they are too long term for a 65 y/o person, who may live another 20 years, 30 at most. But boy are my kids going be set just because I knew what was and is coming, when Elon Musk sold his share of PayPal and invested in Tesla and Space X, his own company he still holds privately, and I acted on it.

Skip reading here and go to the article and just read what you are interested in and see the amazing real world aircraft as well as proposed here: https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/-what-passenger-planes-might-look-like-i/f-5bbafc1b94%2Fcnn.com

Excerpt:

"If time travelers from 1968 found themselves in an airport today, there might be plenty of changes that surprise them. But the planes would look reassuringly familiar.

While there have been vast improvements in materials, engines and avionics -- helping 2017 become the safest year in aviation history -- commercial aircraft remain structurally similar to those of the 1960s.

In fact, the Boeing 737, one of the best-selling airliners ever in its many successive versions, flew for the first time in 1967.

But what might air travel look like 50 years from now?

If time travelers from 1968 found themselves in an airport today, there might be plenty of changes that surprise them. But the planes would look reassuringly familiar.

While there have been vast improvements in materials, engines and avionics -- helping 2017 become the safest year in aviation history -- commercial aircraft remain structurally similar to those of the 1960s.

In fact, the Boeing 737, one of the best-selling airliners ever in its many successive versions, flew for the first time in 1967.

But what might air travel look like 50 years from now?

Attempts and failures

Over the years, there have been some attempts to change the aircraft design paradigm.

The 1970s promised a future of supersonic travel that never really took hold, apart from the limited flights of the Concorde and its Soviet equivalent, the Tu-144.

And, the idea of a blended wing airliner, resembling the stealth Northrop B-2 bomber, has sometimes been touted -- but without much success so far.

A combination of technical and financial reasons has led the aviation industry to discard these rather outlandish propositions and focus on the more canonical designs that are the norm today.

Will the next 50 years continue along the slow, steady path of the last half-century? Or will we once again see the rapid technological disruption that characterized aviation in the years between the end of World War I and the Apollo moon landings?

Don't be fooled by the apparent lack of spectacular breakthroughs. Some big changes are in the offing.

The article goes on to cover some amazing photos of existing and proposed aircraft electric and supersonic, and covers:

Electric dreams
Automation
Redesigning the passenger experience
Going for speed

All of that is covered in the full article here with a lot of breathtaking pictures of these aircraft, click here: https://flipboard.com/@flipboard/-what-passenger-planes-might-look-like-i/f-5bbafc1b94%2Fcnn.com

Amazing!

rynosback · February 16, 2018

You acted on it by buying more Tesla stock?

RV_ · February 16, 2018

I acted on my research by waiting for an IPO from 2003-2010 when they went public and I could finally buy in. Just like I am sitting on a cash block that is significant to buy into Space X when they IPO as I have been following on that front from 2003 to date including observing the taunts from the ULA like I am waiting on a Space X IPO now. I bought three large blocks in 2010 when they IPO'd @$17 and 22.5. I did buy a few more shares on a dip. Buying one share is the only recent buy of Tesla.

I acted on it by buying on IPO and holding through all the ups and downs for the last 8 years. I did not panic when it dropped from $285 or so to $120 a few years ago.

Save for selling some shares @$100 in the first or second year to take a $5k/20% profit and take back my full original investment AND a little over 75% of my shares. I am not greedy. In addition to my shares, her parents asked us if we wanted cash or stocks when they are gone and we said stocks Tesla in unison. They bought a large block of Tesla for us when it was at $70 which we split with my BIL in the succession last year at ~350.

The one share to make it an even 1000 is the result of about a $25k investment in 2010 is now $235.39 just as I write this.

I will sell half of my Tesla and buy Space X immediately when Space X IPOs. They are launching Internet and cell LEO satellites with the first test sats going up next for worldwide cheap Internet and cell phone services and more. I have read rumors that it will be GB speeds, but that is rumor. Heck I'd be happy with double my current 200Mbps Internet speeds for half the price I am paying an ungrateful Cable provider.

See this article from yesterday about something I have written here about before, but is only now coming to fruition:

Elon Musk is about to launch the first of 11,925 proposed SpaceX internet satellites — more than all spacecraft that orbit Earth today

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/msn/elon-musk-is-about-to-launch-the-first-of-11925-proposed-spacex-internet-satellites-—-more-than-all-spacecraft-that-orbit-earth-today/ar-BBJ90ei

Just in:

SpaceX's first internet satellites are set to launch Sunday

Elon Musk's rocket company has been working on getting satellite broadband off the ground for years. Now the Falcon 9 is set to launch the first test.

That article is here:

https://www.cnet.com/news/spacex-falcon-9-internet-satellites-sunday-launch/

Those fast tracked advancements, like he did with EVs, and more, are why I am pretty much staying with our USAA Funds, reinvesting our property proceeds from here in a cash buy of our new place in Colorado, and staying with Tesla and soon Space X as our only individual stock market. I really have nothing to lose literally. My retirement only depends on a paid for house and two paid for cars, as military, VA, and Social Security are more than we need for retirement to live well, and keep our Tesla shares, holding a block of money to get us through a year and to buy into Space X on their IPO, and passing along some to the kids when we are gone. The rest we spend now, and are increasing, with cruises and travel to Australia and New Zealand. It does us no good in banks at .5% interest. I have learned from the very rich to keep earned income down and investments up.

The great thing today is that I can use that block of cash in reserve on a new electric aviation stock, a new renewable energy breakthrough, I pass along here the things I find interesting enough to go beyond a first read.

I don't use the advice of others to invest, or to buy one or two year old used cars, or my tech toys. After we move to Colorado I may invest in a marijuana biz if Space X doesn't IPO soon enough for me. Millions to be made there. I don't drink alcohol or do any drugs except Naproxin Sodium and Flexeril for muscle spasms and back pain, and protonix for GERD, so I doubt I could tell one strain from another as I don't enjoy being under any influence or using anything addictive for ythe normal aches and pains of getting old as an upright bipedal creature.