Groundbreaking Blended-Wing

(CNN) The basic design of commercial airplanes hasn’t changed much in the past 60 years. Modern airliners like the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350 have the same general shape as the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8, which were built in the late 1950s and solidified the “tube and wing” form factor that is still in use today.

This is because commercial aviation prioritizes safety, favoring tried-and-tested solutions, and because other developments — in materials and engines, for example — mean the traditional design is still relevant.

However, a seismic shake-up is about to take place. An entirely new aircraft shape has been cleared to take off into California skies. At the end of last month, Long Beach-based JetZero announced that Pathfinder, its 1:8 scale “blended wing body” demonstrator plane, has been granted an FAA Airworthiness certificate and test flights are imminent.  READ MORE...

Where Flight Attendants Rest

Airlines are constantly raising the bar when it comes to luxury and comfort for passengers, as airliners are flying farther than ever before.

An Airbus A350-1000 XWB aircraft. Andreas Zeitler/Shutterstock.com


But while passengers reap the benefit of glitzy lie-flat business-class seats and even couches in economy on some airlines, not all those onboard — namely flight attendants — get to enjoy the same opulence.

Touring Scandinavian Airlines' Airbus A350-900 XWB. Thomas Pallini/Insider


Hidden in the back of wide-body aircraft are the small compartments in which flight attendants spend their downtime. They're aptly named crew rest areas and are where flight attendants will go when they have a break from service or their other responsibilities.

The crew rest area on an Airbus A350-900 XWB aircraft. Thomas Pallini/Insider

The areas are off-limits to passengers, and even their entryways are discreetly embedded into an aircraft's architecture to help protect against unwanted visitors.  READ MORE...

China Rivaling Airbus and Boeing

Imagine stepping onto a Chinese-made airplane with outdated movies, scripted English from flight attendants, and corn chowder on the in-flight menu—this could be what travelers experience on China Eastern Airlines. With more than $72 billion in state support, China’s commercial airline is set to operate roughly 1,000 new Comac C919 airplanes, due to take flight before the end of this year. 

he airline industry is dominated by European planes like the Airbus and the American-made Boeing, which are battling the aviation market against China’s aircraft manufacturer Comac. The company has been testing a new passenger jet called the C919 for short-haul flights, and the C929 for long-haul. 

It’s all part of the Chinese government’s Made in China 2025 strategy, which aims to reduce China’s dependence on foreign technology.

“National airlines have long been a marker of a state’s status and prestige in the international sphere, so it’s not surprising to see a new airline in China as its importance and influence in global affairs grows,” said Michelle Murray, a professor and chair at the political studies program at Bard College in New York.  TO READ MORE