Modern long-range transports such as the Boeing B787 and Airbus A350 make it both comfortable and economically feasible to travel to and from any point on Earth. With airfare being cheaper and safer than ever (no fatal airline injuries occurred in 2017 despite there having been a staggering 4 billion annual riders), the airliner market remains a huge and lucrative enterprise.
The struggle between Boeing and Airbus for dominance of the highly profitable airliner market is truly a "clash of the Titans." Airbus and Boeing market forecasts for 2017 to 2036 indicate a huge demand of anywhere between 34,000 and 41,000 new aircraft to accommodate air traffic growth as well as to replace ageing aircraft. Trillions of dollars are at stake, and even a single stumble by one company could cede the market to its rival.
Will the United States and its company Boeing cede one of its few high-technology enterprises to its European competitor, Airbus? What would be the consequences of this loss on its economy? What is involved in bringing a new aircraft to the market and having it succeed? What are the design characteristics that make an aircraft attractive to its customers, the airlines and, of course, the passengers?
How did we get here? What does the future hold? These topics are addressed over the course of this book.
