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Spiderguy252
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Joined: 10 Aug 2007
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Location: Indian Ocean
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 Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 10:59 am Post subject: World’s first windowless plane set to take off |
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| Quote: | LONDON : The world's first windowless plane is all set to take off. A British developer will soon test a windowless plane that allows passengers to see what's going on outside.
The windows would be replaced by full-length screens allowing constant views of the sky and space outside.
Passengers would be able to switch the view on and off according to their preference, identify prominent sights by tapping the screen or just surf the internet.
Scientists and engineers at Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) called it "the windowless cabin with a view".
They said, "The days of glimpsing the world through a tiny plastic porthole when you fly are soon to be a thing of the past; future aircrafts will offer a crystal clear panoramic view without any windows at all. We are developing ultra-flexible, high-definition display technologies that could line the interior walls of cabins and display live footage from external cameras."
A concept view of the passenger section of the windowless plane. (Photo courtesy Centre for Process Innovation)
As well as surrounding passengers with a panoramic view of the skies, this interactive 'digital wallpaper' will allow travellers to personalize their environment providing options to adjust lighting or change the view. It could also be used as a multimedia device for in-flight entertainment.
Using OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) technology, the thin, bendable and lightweight displays screens will blend with the fuselage and surfaces such as seatbacks optimizing space and reducing the weight of the aircraft.
Weight is a constant issue on any aircraft with over 80% of the fully laden weight being the aircraft itself along with its fuel. For every 1% reduction in weight the approximate fuel saving is 0.75%.
They added, "If you save weight, you save fuel. And less fuel means less CO2 emissions into the atmosphere and lower operational cost. Windows currently require meticulous construction to ensure that their structure maintains cabin pressure and resists cracking at 35,000 feet. Fully integrated OLED technology is still in development across the globe."
Simon Ogier, research and development manager at CPI, said, "Our role is to turn innovative technology concepts such as OLED displays into manufactured products."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/Worlds-first-windowless-plane-set-to-take-off/articleshow/44943896.cms |
Looks pretty good, eh?
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The_Goat
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Joined: 03 Mar 2007
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Location: South of France
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| Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 1:56 pm Post subject: |
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So basically, you get to see what's around you through television, and not through the windows.
It sounds like a ridiculous idea to me. Why not just make the windows bigger, or better still, make the entire airplane out of glass/perspex?
If that TV develops snags, the passengers have to travel in a windowless white tube.
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Nimish
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Location: Bangalore, India
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| Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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I'm missing the fundamental premise. Do windows add costs? Add weight? Add drag? What is the problem with the current state of windows?
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justbala
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| Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 4:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Nimish wrote: | | I'm missing the fundamental premise. Do windows add costs? Add weight? Add drag? What is the problem with the current state of windows? |
IIRC,the strength of the fuselage is inversely dependant on the size of the windows built in. One of the reasons why the Concord had teeny tiny windows.
So if windows were removed altogether,the aircraft would be sturdier and capable of far greater speeds. |
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The_Goat
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| Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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| justbala wrote: |
IIRC,the strength of the fuselage is inversely dependant on the size of the windows built in. One of the reasons why the Concord had teeny tiny windows.
So if windows were removed altogether,the aircraft would be sturdier and capable of far greater speeds. |
The Concorde's windows were small because of a peculiar problem that existed with its fuselage. After each flight, the diameter of the Concorde's fuselage would expand by about 2ft, due to the heat caused by the air friction at supersonic speeds sustained for about two three hours. Having larger windows would have increased the chances of cracks with repeated expansion and contraction, leading to the 'Comet' phenomenon.
This is not a problem at subsonic speeds, and jet planes are not going to be flying any faster than they already are. So there is really no need to do away with windows.
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5Patel
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Joined: 02 Oct 2014
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| Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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Well at least freighter conversions would be easier in a windowless aircraft.
As for me and several of us Indians used to traveling in jam packed Mumbai locals and Delhi Metro, we would prefer traveling standing on domestic routes than traveling in a simulator. I guess planes without seats would be more fuel efficient than planes without windows. |
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jbalonso777
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| Posted: Tue Oct 28, 2014 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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Makes you wonder - if the B787 is the most efficient bird (bar the issues, I'm talking actual performance) in the skies today with the largest windows, what would it have achieved with smaller windows?
(A380 has small windows, they aren't huge  )
But then again, wouldn't so many TV screens be inclined towards hugely-heavy bird?
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