Is a stealth bomber-shaped plane the future of air travel?

In the decades since the second world war, while nearly every other aspect of commercial aviation has been transformed, the basic aircraft design of a tube with wings has remained stubbornly unchanged. But, by the end of the decade, a radically different shaped plane could be taking to the skies above California. US start-up JetZero and its backers hope the new aircraft will be the future of commercial aviation and offer a way to slash carbon emissions. The eye-catching design — which borrows from the “blended wing” appearance of stealth bombers — has attracted interest from airlines on both sides of the Atlantic. JetZero’s design is one of multiple technologies being developed to try to help airlines reach the industry’s goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. The net zero target is based on the mass take-up of new and cleaner sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). But aerospace companies are also working on electric batteries and hydrogen-powered aircraft to try to cut emissions. The stakes are high, with tighter regulation and the looming threat of taxes on flying. Aviation is currently responsible for 2 to 3% of global CO₂ emissions, but that figure is expected to rise as other industries cut their emissions more quickly. This week, global airline lobby group Iata estimated that the average annual investment in SAFs and other technology that would be required to reach net zero would be $128bn a year. It insisted this was “feasible”, but only with more government support.<br/>