Let's jump 40 years into the future with designer Victor Uribe, and look at that, it's just about time for his Airbus A350H airliner to lift off from the center of Frankfurt. In the crowded world of 2050, Uribe says there won't be room for conventional airports any more, so that's why he's designed his hydrogen-powered aircraft to take off vertically.
In this design concept, the aircraft's hydrogen fuel is synthesized from water drawn from a nearby river. That fuel is pumped to the awaiting jets, refueling as they perch high atop their mid-21st-century runways, which now look more like elegantly-designed platforms.
Nice work, Victor — but by 2050 we're hoping telepresence will be so well-developed that dragging our carcasses around the globe will be unnecessary. If not, we'd rather have jet packs, maglev bullet trains and flying cars. [Read more...]
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