Computer generated graphic of the A380

Since the turn of the 21st century, the commercial aviation industry has had its fair share of setbacks: economic recession, the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the SARS virus and the Iraq war. Airlines worldwide are now flying 5,000 fewer flights than two years ago.

The good news, however, is there is still lots of pioneering aviation design going on. In 2007, Europe's Airbus Industry is set to launch a twin-deck 'superjumbo' - the A380, 97 of which have already been ordered by airlines around the world.

With capacity for 555 passengers, the A380 is expected to revolutionise air travel, just as the Boeing 474s did more than 30 years ago. Meanwhile, after scrapping its plans to build a 'Sonic Cruiser' in 2001, Boeing predicts that the future of air travel is in smaller, hi-tech jets which fly point-to-point in faster times.

Since Concorde has proven to be economically impractical, the modern challenge is to come up with a new generation supersonic airliner with a ticket price no more than 20% greater than a sub-sonic one. It would need reduced high altitude emissions, lower boom (sound) levels and room for up to 300 passengers. Watch this space...