Two major events happened in the past week in aviation. From the super-huge Boeing Intercontinental to the lightweight, fuel-efficient Volta Volare GT4, advances in aircraft design are certainly moving in opposite directions.
Let’s see what each development brings to the world of aviation.
After six years of troubleshooting, the Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental was finally delivered to Lufthansa in Seattle, Wash. The 467-passenger jet will start service June 1, flying between Frankfurt, Germany, and Washington, D.C. This double-decker airplane has the newest wing-engine combo, and it marks the launch of the lie-flat business class. Larger cabins, thinner economy-class seats and roomier cargo bins are new features for the interior. You can see a slide show of the jet here.
At the other end of the spectrum is the tiny Volta Volare GT4. This four-passenger aircraft is an electric hybrid plane that has a range of 300 miles on batteries before the engine kicks in to carry the Volare a maximum of 1,000 miles. The batteries weigh about 900 pounds, and the 1.5 liter gasoline engine uses a 23-gallon tank. No lie-flat seats or first-class cabin are included.
I would guess the Boeing is more comfortable, but the Volare offers a more adventurous experience. So which one would you rather fly in?