Evolution of the Airliner

Book excerpt: Commercial air travel has come a long way since the first purpose-built airliners took to the sky soon after World War I. Countless innovations have enabled aircraft to fly higher, faster, and more efficiently, and flights have become more comfortable and cheaper. This important book, based on a well-received series of articles in Air International magazine, offers an unparalleled insight into the way that the airliner has evolved and how each new breakthrough and refinement has affected the industry and the future path of development.