Maximizing Human Mobility Through Flight

If civil aviation is basically all about maximizing human mobility, what do you think of this idea? From the present point of view, this question is difficult to fully comprehend because it challenges the existing definitions and limitations of “transportation.” If transportation is defined only as making horse-drawn carriages better, then progress will be making horse-drawn carriages faster, stronger, and more comfortable. But once transportation is seen as the movement of people and goods from one location to another, new possibilities such as automobiles, high-speed rail, aircraft, and rockets become available. Similarly, many concepts that seem impossible today may become possible as human understanding and technological frameworks develop.

This change of attitude can also be applied to the civil aviation sector. Mobility is the capability to conquer distance through efficient movement and connectivity. The main purpose of civil aviation, in this respect, is to enhance human mobility, rather than to provide more sophisticated transport. If aviation means merely the improvement of the existing aircraft, scientific development may be limited to the best possible design of existing configurations. But if you think of aviation as part of a broader system for moving people around, then the possibilities for future development are far greater.

So, what could mobility become in the future, and how might emerging technologies redefine the way humans overcome distance and connect with the world?

Learn more about Nextus Innovations Laboratory, Research Support, Project Consultancy