Been thinking about this a lot recently. What we really want is convenience. Same with Henry Ford. People thought they wanted faster horses, but loved the added convenience of not having the horse all together. Much easier to feed a gasoline engine than a horse, plus no poop comes out of an internal combustion engine.
So what's inconvenient about an airplane engine we don't like, and why don't we like it? I've got my thoughts.
I think people actually want an electric engine. Leaving the politics and environmental considerations aside, hear me out:
-No cold starting
-Doesn't leak oil
-No fuel tanks (weeping rivets, filters to clean, etc.)
-Simplified operation
-Almost no maintenance (oil changes, spark plugs)
-Lower Drag (cooling)
Yes there's a lot of other problems to solve before aircraft are electrified. Once we solve those problems, I think it's what people will want when technology gets to the point that it's viable.