The environmental impact of aircraft has come under increased scrutiny in recent years because of the increased use of commercial planes and the . Similarly, airliners are facing rising costs of jet fuel prices due to rising demand for oil throughout the world. Together, these two conditions are the impetus for my interest in environmentally-friendly jets. Single-aisle jets are the most common type of commercial airplane (fillme), with #fillme# in service today. Creating a high-performance, environmentally-friendly commercial plane can alleviate the negative environmental impact of aircraft and decrease cost for airliners.
The two most popular single aisle jet families are the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320. The Boeing 737 program began in the late 1960s, and currently on its third generation of planes, the Next Generation. Through its evolution, the plane has grown considerably in size, from 88 ft in the Boeing 737-100 to 131 ft in the Boeing 737-900, the largest plane in the family. The first Airbus A320 family plane was built in the mid-1980s, and has similarly evolved into other similar and larger planes, such as the A321 (1994) and the A318 (2003) (source). The newest member of the A320 family is the A320neo, which stands for "new engine option." By improving aerodynamic performance, adding winglets, and, of course, using more efficient engines, the A320neo is supposed to lower emissions and fuel costs.
A number of smaller competitors have also emerged in recent years, including the Bombardier C Series and the Comac C919. The Bombardier C Series is notable for its focus to decrease fuel consumption by as much as 20 percent in comparison to its competitors (source). Both planes have faced major delays, and are scheduled to start flight tests this year.
Data for the Boeing 737-900 and Airbus A320 are shown below: