The age of electric aircraft has begun, and it includes Rolls-Royce’s all-electric ‘Spirit of Innovation’ plane. It successfully completed its maiden flight, thanks to its 400kW (500+hp) electric powertrain boasting the most power-dense battery pack ever assembled for an aircraft.
Kitty Hawk, a Silicon Valley-based startup, has officially ended its “Flyer” program, which is an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle powered by ten independent lift fans. Instead, they are shifting their focus to Heaviside, a one-seater eVTOL concept with an eight-rotor design that has a range of about 100-miles and can fly at speeds of up to 180mph.
Photo credit: PriestmanGoode
In 2018, there was a record 45-million airline flights booked worldwide, which equates to roughly 4.5-billion travelers. You can only imagine the plastic waste generated, whether it be meal trays, earphones, amenity kits, beverage bottles, etc., and they contribute to the 5.7-million tons of cabin waste produced commercial flights each year. PriestmanGoode, a design studio specializing in travel, has just the solution.
Photo credit: Hotel Costa Verde
Hotel Costa Verde, located in Manuel Antonio National Park, Quepos, Costa Rica, has one of the most unique accommodations you probably never knew about. This Boeing 727 didn’t crash land in the jungle, but rather is an old fuselage that was refurbished into a suite of sorts. Should you be lucky enough to stay here, there’s also a restaurant housed in another plane, a “Cockpit Cottage” made from an Aéropostale aircraft, and a railroad car restaurant.