Plane & Simple

We’re pretty confident that you’re here on our site due to your love of travel. We love travel too. We love it so much that we write about it, obviously. For most travel adventures, there is the inevitable component of flight. Some dread it: some, like us, are enthused by flight and the latest equipment. But, also being always curious about how travel tech itself progresses, we sometimes like to report here on the (literal) nuts and bolts of traveling by air.

Flying can be a thrill, a necessity or all of the above. But what exactly happens with airliners? And how many fly simultaneously at any point in time in the air? Although the answer is an open-ended question that differs according to both the days of the year and the hours of the day but we know there can be between 8,000 and 20,000 planes in the sky at any time, according to FlightRadar24. That may sound a bit harrowing, but fear not: air travel is still one of the safest ways to travel.

That’s a relief, but here comes the inevitable next question. What other kinds of elements of flight impact air travel? A big one, of course, is fuel usage and the impact on the environment. With as many aircraft as mentioned above, it must be considerable. Yes, that indeed is the case, but this post is more about airlines (and airline manufacturers) and what they’re doing about the environment. So, the answer to this might seem a bit a bit techie, but it’s important. Stick with us.

Our favorite plane manufacturer is by far, Airbus. Not only have they not fallen into the rather unpredictable miasma that is Boeing these days, but even more importantly, the brand new Airbus a321 XLR has recently been awarded a EASA type certification. The Airbus A321XLR powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines has received its Type Certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), preparing the way for the entry-into-service of the new aircraft at the end of the summer. This is pretty important for the world of flight.

“Here comes the A321XLR, a differentiated product that brings new value to the market, expanding the possibilities for our airline customers and passengers. It is quintessential Airbus!”, says Christian Scherer, CEO of the Commercial Aircraft business of Airbus. “With the certification, we have reached a key milestone. The A321XLR sits side by side with widebodies in an airline’s fleet. It introduces the flexibility to add capacity, to open new routes, or even to continue operating existing ones when demand is variable.

All while burning 30% less fuel per seat than previous generation competitor aircraft, and at roughly half the trip cost of modern widebodies, the A321XLR’s new Airspace cabin will provide passengers long haul comfort in all classes. This is exciting new, because if just one aircraft can burn 30% less fuel, that’s a huge win for all of us . . . and the planet. Read more here.