Overview of Potential Evolutions of Technologies Applied in Commercial Transport Airplanes

Automated systems assisting pilots in the achievement of their essential operating tasks have been one answer provided by the Airframe manufacturers to the problems raised by the present democratization of the Commercial Air Transport. The predicted evolutions of the world air traffic in the next two decades are extremely promising and challenging: indeed they raise very severe issues in terms of airspaces saturation, in terms of air safety and efficiency, and last but not least in terms of environmental consequences. In this time frame, airframe, engine and system manufacturers will have to produce several tens of thousands of aircraft; they will have to consider many technological evolutions in order to face those challenges, in fields as varied as automation, engines, structure, aerodynamics... Yes, next generation airplanes, eco-logical/-nomical (ecological and economical), must and will represent a new technological step forward in transport aviation industry in order to meet extremely demanding challenges.