THIS is how Airbus passengers of the future will experience flight.

And the wings for these groundbreaking planes will be manufactured right here in North Wales at the company’s factory in Broughton.

In 2050, passenger jets flying in formation like birds, eco-efficient steep takeoffs and glided landings are just some of the sights we can expect.

Revealing this vision, Airbus executive vice president for engineering, Charles Champion said workers – including its 6,000 staff in Flintshire – are always looking at radical, yet realistic, designs for planes built in the second half of the century.

“Our engineers are continuously encouraged to think widely and come up with ‘disruptive’ ideas which will assist our industry in meeting the 2050 targets we have signed up to,” said Mr Champion.

“These and the other tough environmental targets will only be met by a combination of investment in smarter aircraft design and optimising the environment in which the aircraft operates.

“That is why our latest Future by Airbus – Smarter Skies concepts focus on not just what we fly, but how we may fly in 2050 and beyond.”

Formation flying could happen on high-frequency routes, and by the middle of the 21st century flights in Europe and the USA could on average be about 13 minutes shorter, saving around nine million tonnes of fuel a year.

In its latest vision for sustainable aviation in the future, Airbus envisages:

Aircraft climbing more steeply on take-off to minimise noise and allow for shorter runways.

Highly intelligent aircraft able to ‘self-organise’ and select the most efficient and environmentally friendly routes.

Planes free-gliding on their approach into airports to reduce emissions and noise.

Planes clearing the runway quicker on landing and passengers reaching terminals faster.

The use in aviation of sustainable biofuels and other potential energy sources such as electricity, hydrogen and solar power.

Shorter journey times could be achieved by the optimisation of air traffic management and on-board technology systems. This would lead to the saving of more than 28 million tonnes of avoidable C02 emissions a year as well as the saving of five million flying hours.

The news came a day after the first wing for the A350 XWB arrived at Airbus’s final assembly line in Toulouse, France, where the new generation wide-body aircraft is being assembled.