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Nick
Magliocchetti, CEO of
Waves. |
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Is aviation
about to change? |
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viation is one of the most exciting
sectors for potential tech disruption. After Uber and Airbnb disrupting taxis
and hotels, it seems about time for improvements to the aviation industry. There
is too much reliance on large airport hubs, too much inefficiency in fuel |
usage,
and security queues are too long. |
Fortunately, there are lots of
businesses popping-up which aim to improve many aspects of the flying
experience. Crowdfunding, in particular, is helping more of these innovative
businesses get started, changing the way we fly forever.
So what technologies can we
expect to see in the near future?
Getting you there quicker
Most of us have checked-in online
or via our mobile devices, taking our boarding passes with us to the airport.
This has reduced queue time and the reliance on check-in counter staff. In the
future, we will be able to do the same for security.
For example, Waves uses a secure
online security system to match and check identities before customers arrive at
the airport. The process is approved by the BAA, so it matches the high security
standards of typical commercial flights, yet drastically cuts down the time from
arrival at an airport to take-off.
Currently, aircraft need to be
manually checked between each flight, which can take up to three hours,
depending on the size of the aircraft. Fortunately, the future of flying will
include automated aircraft checks conducted by robots and AI, which will
speed-up the process considerably.
New technology, such as 3D
printing, will allow for new aircraft and engine design possibilities. For
example, there are already teams working on 3D printing new thinner, low-drag
wings from layered composite materials. This will allow for the return of
supersonic flights, but with far higher safety standards.
Getting you there safer
Currently in the works are
helmets that include an augmented reality (AG) display. This will allow pilots
to keep track of all of the controls, alerts, signals, etc. more easily. It will
also allow pilots to undergo more immersive training - visualising exactly how
the aircraft will react in various circumstances.
While we expect that there will
always be some sort of pilot sitting at the controls, we will increasingly begin
to see AI taking the controls. At first, AI will make small adjustments to the
flight course and aircraft environment in order to maximise passenger comfort
and safety. As the technology gets more advanced, AI will take more of the
controls away from pilots, adapting to conditions with reactions far faster than
any human.
Greener flying
Flying is one of the safest forms
of transport, but it is also one of the least environmentally-friendly. It is no
surprise, then, that there are billions of dollars of investment going into
developing more fuel-efficient engines and flight solutions.
One such solution is to make use
of the massive amounts of data available to understand customers’ travelling
behaviours and adapting to better meet their needs. For example, data can help
us understand which flights, on which days, at which time of year are the most
and least popular. A suitable aircraft can then be chosen for the number of
passengers, rather than using a larger, less efficient craft.
As with cars, airplanes can be
vastly more fuel-efficient, using fully-electric engines. Unlike cars, however,
designing a fully-electric aircraft engine is incredibly complicated, so will
take much longer to develop. In the meantime, we expect to see hybrid
electric-fuel engines that lessen the reliance on conventional petrol.
Using data to reduce costs
We’ve already seen how data can
improve fuel-efficiency, but it can also be used to anticipate customer numbers
in order to reduce crew requirements and engine maintenance. For example, Waves
uses data to anticipate passenger numbers, allocating the most suitable
aircraft. This saves fuel and means ‘planes can be staffed appropriately.
More choice of airports
Currently, most flights travel
through main airport hubs, such as Gatwick and Heathrow in the UK. These
airports are well-equipped, but they can also be expensive. After all, there are
so many flights and passengers to handle.
However, there are thousands of
local airports and hangars dotted across every country which can often be used
at much cheaper rates than the main transport hubs. We will see these being used
more frequently to save costs, share the burden, and help people get closer to
where they actually want to be.
Getting you exactly where you want to go
As well as flying to local
airports, reducing onward travel time, airlines will begin partnering with other
airlines, local taxi companies, and even boat taxis in order to get travellers
exactly where they want to go. Passengers will be able to travel to the closest
airport to their final destination, have a taxi pick them up, and then jump on a
boat for those more remote locations.
What’s more, these services will
be linked seamlessly together. As soon as you step-off one form of transport,
you’ll step straight onto another. Not only will this make travelling quicker,
it will be far easier and stress-free for travellers in remote regions to get
from A to B.
Aviation is the future of travel.
By no other means can you travel as far, as fast. With so many exciting future
innovations looking likely for air travel, flying will be even faster, cheaper,
safer and much more environmentally-friendly. This is great news, particularly
for people living in remote regions such as the Channel Islands, Shetland, the
Western Isles and Orkney.
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The Waves Team |
Nick Magliocchetti
is Co-Founder and CEO of Waves - a new data-driven airline currently servicing
the Channel Islands. Waves is predicated on the idea that technology and data
can make flying cheaper, quicker, and more fuel-efficient. Waves holds an
Aircraft Operator’s Certificate (AOC) for the Channel Islands, but will be
expanding to serve the rest of the UK and Europe in 2018.
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www.flywaves.gg |
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BlueSky Business Aviation News | 7th December 2017 | Issue #442 |
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