Boeing and Airbus are constantly talking up their competitive prowess in aviation engineering - the latest being the A350 vs the Dreamliner debate.
But far beyond the current technical capabilities of these two aircraft, both of which have been in development for years, there is a further land-grab for where technology can help the airline industry in the future.
US-based Boeing has upped the ante this week by claiming to have created the lightest ever metal, known as the Microlattice.
It's so incredibly light and flexible because, well, it's 99.99% air.
Boeing says the metal is "light enough to balance on top of a dandelion, while its structure makes it strong".
The aircraft manufacturer is already talking about how it has the potential to be used in aircraft design and other vehicles.
Here is a clip: