With Delta in bankruptcy and Northwest headed for a possible strike, this New York Times article on tiny jets sounds like good news to me.
In its annual aviation forecast, the F.A.A. projected sharply higher levels of non-airline flights in coming years because of the new planes, called “very light jets,” which will seat four to six passengers. The new planes can fly almost as fast as an airliner, and at even higher altitudes, but will land easily at fields with 3,000-foot runways, half the length of those at big airports. With a range of 1,000 miles or more, proponents say the new jets will spawn a new generation of air taxis and charters that will carry travelers to airports within 20 minutes of their homes or destinations, at a price comparable to a coach airline ticket.
This could also be a boon for small, out-of-the-way ad agencies, who may have the ability to reach clients more easily, and also get some chances to do cool advertising for startup jet services. The concept possibilities are endless.
I wonder where this leaves the mega-Airbus: perhaps the air transportation industry will become bimodal again, with luxury travellers wanting flying cruise liners at one end and air taxis at another.
Or you can wonder what would happen to airports, say like Indianpolis or Louisville, when Cincinnati or Chicago takes International traffic.
Imagine people who fly into Chicago then Indy only to drive down the road to Indiana University or Purdue or any number of surrounding cities with smaller airports and large corporations.
I still prefer a viable train service between the two cities. Trains liven up town centers with people. Outside small airports don’t, not really.
Plus, trains have a better chance of surviving in the post-cheap oil economy.