The Future of Air Travel - Intermediate .pdf

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Published by Macmillan Education Ltd. © Macmillan Education Limited, 2021.
Intermediate
BUSINESSNEWSLESSONS
Air travel: the shape of things to come
Warmer
a. How do you imagine people will travel around in the future? Look at the images below and
discuss what the public transport vehicles of tomorrow will look like.
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Image credits: 1. DIGITAL VISION; 2. Getty
Images/iStockphoto: Eshma; 3. Alamy Stock
Photo: I. Glory

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Intermediate
BUSINESSNEWSLESSONS
Key words and expressions
a. Match these words taken from the article to the definitions below.Then find them in the article
to read them in context.The key words are listed in the same order they appear in the article.
1. the practice of flying planes
2. something that is annoying and is a continuing problem
3. one of the first people to do something important which others later continue
4. the first form of something new, made before it is produced in large quantities
5. at an angle that is not 90 degrees
6. the cheapest seats on a plane
7. a machine that is operated by another piece of equipment from a short distance away
8. travelling or carrying people or goods over a short distance, especially by air
9. done for the first time
10. the force that makes any two objects that have mass move towards each other.
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aviation economy gravity maiden nuisance
pioneer prototype remote-controlled short-haul slanted

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Intermediate
BUSINESSNEWSLESSONS
The model plane that might be the
future of ﬂying
THE FLYING-V RAISES THE PROSPECT OF FEWER EMISSIONS AND MORE SPACE (EVEN THOUGH IT’S ONLY
THREE METRES WIDE)
There have been big aircraft advances since flying
began: jet engines, lighter materials, computerised
control systems. But the shape of the planes has
stayed the same — fuselage, two wings and a tail.
Aviation engineers have long seen the heavy fuselage
as a nuisance. What if the passengers and cargo could
be housed in a wing?
The flying wing might look futuristic but the idea
is nothing new. Possibly the first flying wing was
designed and flown by Czech aviation pioneer Igo
Etrich in 1909, although he had to add a tail to
keep it stable. During the second world war, both
the Americans and Germans worked at flying-wing
bombers, without fully succeeding. In the postwar
era, the US managed to build flying-wing military
aircraft such as the B-2 stealth bomber.
Engineers have been trying to build a passenger
flying wing too. KLM and the Delft University of
Technology, supported by Airbus, have created a
prototype called the Flying-V, a 3-metre- wide scale
model of which made its pilotless first flight at an air
base in Germany in July.
The aircraft’s creators presented the results this
month, with Roelof Vos, leader of the project
and a Delft assistant professor, calling it “the
most revolutionary change in aviation since the
introduction of the jet aircraft”.
The Flying-V, as its name suggests, is really two
wings, splaying out v-shaped from a pointed nose.
Apart from the environmental benefits, of which
more below, the designers are excited about the
possibilities for passengers. We should always
take cabin comfort promises with a pinch of salt
— remember the gyms and bowling alleys we were
promised in the Airbus A380? The Flying-V team
says the plane could feature economy bunk beds. But
a more important advantage of a slanted cabin wall is
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that the seats could be staggered, rather than in rows,
so that, even in economy, people would not share arm
rests with their neighbours.
There have been other remote-controlled test flights
of scaled-down blended wing- body aircraft. Boeing
designed the X-48B and X-48C aircraft, which have
more of a triangle than a v-shape. Built by Cranfield
Aerospace of the UK, and flown in a partnership with
Nasa, the planes ended their flights in 2013, with
the partners declaring them a successful look at the
future. Airbus showed off its similarly shaped Maveric
demonstrator at this year’s Singapore air show, saying
it could one day be a replacement for today’s short-
haul single aisle planes.
The Flying-V is a future long-haul plane, carrying up
to 360 passengers. The model’s maiden flight, while
largely successful, was not perfect. The plane’s centre
of gravity turned out to be too far back. It rolled and
yawed and landed awkwardly, breaking its nose gear.
All these problems are correctable, Vos said.
More important is whether the gains would be worth
it. The Flying-V would use 20 per cent less fuel than
today’s most advanced long-haul planes, which
doesn’t sound much in an age when many oppose
flying altogether. But Vos says that’s only the fuel
saving from a different air frame. It doesn’t take into
account improvements in materials and engines — or
the use of a different fuel. While he doesn’t envisage
the Flying-V ever being electric, he suggests it may be
possible, one day, for it to fly on hydrogen.
When could a plane like this enter service? “In my
personal view, 2040,” Vos told me. Richard Wahls,
Nasa’s strategic technical adviser on advanced
aircraft, also said wing-body planes could be rolling
off the production line in the late 2030s. A long way
off. But the pause in our flying is not a bad time to
think about a more advanced and environmentally
improved way of doing it.
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Michael Skapinker, September 21 2020
© The Financial Times.
All rights reserved. Articles republished from the Financial Times.

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Intermediate
BUSINESSNEWSLESSONS
Understanding the article
a. Complete the notes with information from the article
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Flying-V
Creators: (1) , Delft University of Technology
Project leader: (2)
Size of prototype: (3)
Location of first pilotless flight: (4)
Maximum no. of passengers: (5)
Fuel: (6) less than most long-haul planes; could use
(7) in future
Date in service: Project leader predicts (8)
Business language – compound nouns
a. Match the words on the left to the words on the right to make compound nouns from the text.
1. jet a. war
2. air b. advisor
3. world c. line
4. technical d. engine
5. production e. base
b. Complete the questions with the correct compound nouns.
1. Which industries use a/an to make their
products efficiently?
2. Can you name some machines that have a/an
?
3. What does the job of involve doing?
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5
BUSINESSNEWSLESSONS
Intermediate
4. Which country has the largest military ?
5. Which movies have you watched about soldiers who fought in the Second
?
c. In pairs, ask and answer the questions above.
Business language – adjectives for describing change
a. Complete the words to make adjectives from the text. Search the article for the adjective and
write the noun it is used with.
1. r v t n y —
2. s c s s u l —
3. s t e c —
4. d v c d —
5. m p v d —
b. Use the adjectives above to make sentences about the industry you work in or describe an
invention you particularly like.
Discussion questions
If a V-shape plane becomes commercially available, would you be among the first passengers to
book a flight on it?
What new developments are taking place in your industry? Describe them.
Which of these developments most excite you? Why?
If you are not aware of developments in your industry, what changes would you like to see in the
future? Explain your answer.
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BUSINESSNEWSLESSONS
Intermediate
Wider business theme – the car industry
a. Work in groups of three to research the future of the car industry. Choose an option each
to investigate:
• Driverless vehicles
• Hydrogen powered vehicles
• Electric powered vehicles
b. Explain your research to the group in a presentation about the option you chose.Then discuss
together the potential of each development for commercial success.
7

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Intermediate
1
BUSINESSNEWSLESSONS
Key:
1. aviation
2. nuisance
3. pioneer
4. prototype
5. slanted
6. economy
7
. remote-controlled
8. short-haul
9. maiden
10. gravity
3.Understanding the article
a.
Ask students to complete the notes using the
information from the article.
1. KLM
2. Roelof Vos
3. three metres wide
4. Germany
5. 360
6. 20%
7. Hydrogen
8. 2040
4.
Business language – compound
nouns
a.
Point out that although other word pairs may be
possible, they are looking for ones that they already
read in the article. Then they should scan the article to
check their answers.
Key:
1. d
2. e
3. a
4. b
5. c
Air travel: the shape of things to come
1. Warmer
a.
Students discuss what transport will look like in
the future. If necessary, prompt them to think about
whether the first two vehicles (the bullet train and
electric bike) will still be seen as modern in twenty
years’ time. Although the third vehicle (the flying car)
isn’t a reality, ask them whether they see this being
possible in the future.
2. Key words and expressions
a.
Ask students to match the words taken from the
article to the definitions then read them in the article
to understand the context. Point out that the key words
are listed in the same order they appear in the article.
Title of the lesson: Air travel: the shape of
things to come
Level: Intermediate (B1–B2)
Time: 90 + minutes
Groups: one-to-one, small groups,
whole class
Business topics: Describing change in
an industry
Business language focus: compound
nouns, adjectives to describe change
Skills: Reading, speaking, writing
Materials: One copy of the worksheet
per student
Overview: This lesson, based on an article
from a trusted business news source, talks
about the development of a new shape of
aircraft and how it could transform the way
we travel by plane.

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Intermediate
2
BUSINESSNEWSLESSONS
7.
Wider business theme – the
car industry
a.
The research part of this activity could be carried out in
class time but is best set as homework with the group
discussion to take place at the start of the next lesson.
Put the students in groups of three or four. Ask the
groups to ensure that all three subjects are researched.
b.
Once the groups have presented their research, you
could bring this together for a whole class discussion,
allowing one spokesperson from each group to offer
their collective opinions on which development they
think is most likely to achieve commercial success
and why.
b.
Check the students’ understanding of the compound
nouns then ask them to use the same compound
nouns to complete the questions.
Key:
1. production line
2. jet engine
3. technical advisor
4. air base
5. World War
c.
Ask students to work in pairs and ask each other the
questions they created in activity b.
5.
Business language – adjectives for
describing change
a.
Remind students that all of these words appeared in
the article. When they have completed the activity, have
them check their answers before moving on to activity
b so they can see the word again in context.
Key:
1. revolutionary — change
2. successful — look
3. strategic — technical advisor
4. advanced — way
5. improved — way
b.
Students should use the adjectives in activity a to
construct sentences about their own workplace and/
or industry. Tell them that they will using the sentences
shortly to talk about changes in their industry with
a partner. If students are having difficulty in thinking
of changes in an industry, they could talk about an
invention they particularly like.
6. Discussion questions
Ensure that students have completed 5b before
embarking on this activity as it will act as preparation
for this discussion and will give them more confidence
to express their thoughts and use the adjectives for
describing change.
Have students work in pairs or small groups. Allow equal
time for each student to answer the questions.
One-to-one
Have the student research all three
options for homework. At the start of
the next lesson, have them present
what they have found out before
having a discussion about their
opinion on which is most likely to
achieve commercial success.

The Future of Air Travel - Intermediate .pdf

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The Future of Air Travel - Intermediate .pdf