To mark the 85th anniversary of its founding, Finnair joined the aircraft manufacturer Airbus and other industry experts in envisioning what flying would be like in 2093. The visions were published as a book and as an internet website in November. In a competition launched in March, people had the opportunity to vote on which aircraft of the future was the most captivating and to present their own visions of what the flying of the future might be like. The competition attracted a total of 14,000 entries.
The justifications varied from visual impact to flying comfort, when people voted on which of the Kauko Helavuo-drawn aircraft was the most captivating. The aircraft were rated according to their spaciousness and entertainment possibilities as well as their surprising and fun designs. The aircraft’s aerodynamic qualities and environmental friendliness were also addressed by those who entered the competition. The wing-shaped Finnair A600-850, intended for short-haul routes, was voted the most enchanting design.
Around one thousand visionaries submitted their views on the flying of the future. They forecast that flying will enjoy explosive growth and that flying habits will become more individual at the same time. People expect that aircraft will come in many forms; small, compact aircraft for individual flying and spacious vessels for transporting the masses. It is envisioned that fast aircraft will run on energy waste or vegetable oil.
The competition received no special marketing, yet we received lots of entries – a total of 14,000 from all around the world. The entries also provided us with valuable feedback on what kind of services people wish and expect from the aircraft of the future, says Finnair SVP Communications Christer Haglund.
The prize for the best vision, Finnair flight tickets between Europe and Asia, was won by Dattatray Kuvalekar from India. Kuvalekar, a father of two children, says that his offspring are also very excited about his competition win. With his prize tickets, he intends to fly to Finland.
I’ve visited Finland twice before and it will be a real privilege to enjoy once again the Land of the Midnight Sun and Thousands of Lakes, says Kuvalekar.
The emphasis of Kuvalekar’s vision was on individuality: Every passenger will have their own capsule docked to a larger vessel. Passengers can therefore select the interior design and colours, the temperature of the air and food to suit their own tastes.
In Kuvalekar’s vision, flying in the future will be fast and, of course, neutral in terms of its environmental impact. New technology will guarantee a smooth and efficient travel experience: Radio-frequency identification (RFID) passports will allow passengers to slip through border checks in the twinkling of an eye, and baggage will be automatically delivered to passengers’ homes or the travel destination.
Further information on the visions of future flying and on the pictures of the aircraft can be found at the address www.departure2093.com. The pictures of the aircraft can be located via the FUTURE FLEET link on the left side of the page.
Interesting details and experiences about the futuristic project plus Finnair’s intergalactic space pop song can also be found in a Finnair blog at http://blogs.finnair.com/2009/06/10/futurerocks/.
The project was unbelievably well received in the international media. A press conference in India, for example, was attended by more than 50 reporters representing more than 200 million readers, Haglund writes in the blog.
