The Future of Flight with Matt McAlonis

Our Connected World | TE Connectivity

It’s astounding to think that the first flight was just over a hundred years ago. Since then, humans have been around the world and into space. So, what’s the future of flight? Connected World host Tyler Kern chatted with TE Connectivity’s Matt McAlonis, engineer and aerospace expert, to find out.

First, Matt spoke about passenger aviation. “Disruption was the biggest trend during the pandemic, where only one-third of aircraft were flying. That has delayed timelines for new development and technology.”

Matt also noted the changing passenger expectations, especially around being connected. “Now there’s bring your own device, which allows passengers to stay connected.”

Supersonic travel may reappear in the future. However, the industry will need to overcome some big challenges. “The next iteration of supersonic flight will be responsible and sustainable. Engine development will need to be carbon neutral and quiet,” Matt explained.

Is electric flight a possibility? It currently exists, and the struggle is making it commercially viable. Battery life is the major problem to solve. “It’s how fast can you charge and what’s the duration. There is a helicopter market right now, but that’s loud. Right now, it’s somewhere around 10 hours of charging for one hour of flight. , Fast charging requires more amperage and voltage,” Matt said.

Finally, is commercial space flight going to be a reality? McAlonis commented that he thinks it’s possible. “There are challenges—launching, what orbits the planet, then once into space transporting from there. There’s exciting work happening here.” To learn more about Matt’s insights on the future of flight: https://bit.ly/2X0atTA