Better Air Travel

I wish, without much hope, that the stimulus plan for the US economy would result in a high speed passenger railroad system. I would take the train even if it took twice as long as a plane because flying has become such a hellish experience. Competition from trains might get the airlines to do better.

Speaking of planes, I learned on Ecopolis on the Science Channel this weekend that most of the noise of airliners comes from the air moving around the planes themselves. If the shape of airliners was changed to more of a flying wing, the noise would almost disappear, and more airports could be built without annoying people. This would improve air travel.