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> The last 50 years of aviation have produced fewer innovations than any single decade in the previous 50 years. Between 1968 and 2014 the average fuel burn of

• rayiner 8y ago
  > Between 1968 and 2014 the average fuel burn of new aircraft fell approximately 45% [1]. We also move more people more reliably [2]. That's innovation in my book. When I was in college, that statistic was used to remind people how depressing it was to be a propulsion engineer. It amounts to just 0.8% improvement annually, in the face of billions of dollars in investment each year from P&W, RR, GE, etc.
• pdimitar 8y ago
  While I am not an expert in the terminology I would argue that what you describe is a direct result of the commoditization of aviation, namely optimization and making it economical and safer. Usually new tech goes like this: it is exciting and shiny and new and nobody cares how does it work internally as long as it delivers. But when it gets commoditized, the attention turns inward.