Emirates to launch WINDOWLESS planes to make aircrafts FASTER and lighter

www.dailystar.co.uk ^ | 06/07/2018 | By Christine Younan

[Red Badger]

EMIRATES could soon launch a new aircraft without windows.

AIRLINE: This will make aircrafts faster and lighter

__________________________________________________________________

One of the best things about flying is looking at the views out the window – but that could soon change.

The Dubai-based airline announced plans to build planes with virtual windows.

This means when passengers look outside they can only see a projection instead of clouds or spectacular skylines.

Emirates unveiled the designs for a new first class suite, which feature fibre optic cameras that beam an image of outside onto the window.

Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates, told BBC: “The quality of the imagery is so good, it's better than with the natural eye. [It’s] as if you were in the window seat.

“So can the new generation of aircraft be windowless with this technology? In my view there’s no reason why not.

“The aircraft are lighter, the aircraft could fly faster, they'll burn far less fuel and fly higher.”

According to Sir Tim, another benefit is that planes will be safer if the designs come into use.

As well as this, getting rid of windows would make planes more solid, getting rid of “structural weaknesses”.

This comes after a Southwest plane was forced to make an emergency landing which “sucked out” a female passenger.

The engine explosion caused parts to fly and one piece struck a window in row 17, causing the material to shatter.

Jennifer Riordan, 43, died after suffering serious head injuries during the incident back in April.

[trebb]

I guess it’s easy to joke about but it makes sense and even the “virtual windows” are a waste for other than giving bored passengers something to stare at.

[Red Badger]

Hey! Stormy Daniels could entertain them!!.............

[tet68]

Actually with complete coverage and interior screens
on all walls and floor it would look like your seat
was flying through the air at 30,000 feet and hundreds
of miles an hour. A harrowing trip to the bathroom.

[trebb]

I doubt they would allow her on the plane......she’s below their standards which might be really saying something....

[trebb]

It would - I didn’t pick up on that plan - I thought they were talking virtual “windows”....might be fun once one got used to it - sure would make the mile-high club more interesting....;-}

[tet68]

Gives new meaning to the slogan “Fly United!”.

[TangoLimaSierra]

You could simulate the experience of flying as if there were no upper half of the fuselage.

Or put the screen up front. Look like the whole front of the plane is missing.
No! The floor. Cool.

[Boomer]

AIRLINE: This will make aircrafts faster and lighter

You know what else will? Yep; no passengers.

[jmcenanly]

It also allows for more efficient seating arrangements.It is not necessarily faster.

[unlearner]

“The speed of sound (Mach 1.0) at 35,000 ft is about 660 mph. I think Emirates flies A380’s on many of their long haul flights. The A380 service ceiling is 43,000 ft, cruise speed is 587 mph/mach 0.89. So, the plane is already bumping against max performance for a sub-sonic aircraft.”

The speed of sound is relative to the medium in which the sound travels. The speed of sound in air is affected by altitude, temperature, and humidity. But the speed is airspeed, not groundspeed. In other words, the speed of the aircraft is measured relative to the air around it. So, if an aircraft is traveling against wind current, its airspeed will be higher than its groundspeed, resulting in traveling slower when viewed from the vantage point of the ground (where departure and arrival times are the measure).

Aircraft not designed to exceed the sound barrier, depending on other limitations, may travel up to its critical Mach number (i.e. lower critical Mach number) at which any part of the aircraft is traveling faster than the speed of sound. (Because airflow around an aircraft speeds up and slows down as it cuts through the air, parts of an aircraft may reach the speed of sound even though the airspeed of the aircraft has not reached this point.)

Going windowless will bump these numbers higher and could also make it easier to design aircraft to go supersonic. Whether they actually fly faster in service, as you point out, will probably be a factor of whether being windowless affects the critical Mach number of the particular aircraft. Either way, the jets will fly faster or cheaper or both.

[nicollo]

On long boring flights, being able to look out the window as the flight progresses helps to get me through the flight.

Especially when you have interesting terrain below you, like the Rockies, Cascades, and when flying to and from Alaska the majestic Wrangell-St. Elias, and Chugach ranges.

Absolutely -- and also for takeoffs and landings. I love flying in and out of DCA and select my seat for the best view (rightside out, leftside in, and hope for northern route). LaGuardia is also fun, especially if flight has to circle Manhattan.

And in addition to seeing the landscape below, I also love watching the cloud formations. Now, on overseas flights, not much to see but still cool to spot occasional frieghters and islands.

I'd be all for a useful video cam, not just one to fake windows but to be able to choose vantage points.

[crusty old prospector]

Touché.

[crusty old prospector]

I’m a geologist. I live for such sights. I only wish that we would fly lower.

[WMarshal]

“You could substitute a video feed for the view out the window”

With a 3D headset and software that stiches video feeds together into a spherical view they could make the whole plane disappear and you could soar through the sky like a god.

I believe that the military is already doing this with helmet displays.

[Big Giant Head]

All the displays and associated electronics and computers would weigh more than the windows...................

Not necessarily. I've been reading for some years now about "film" that is used as a monitor. Some talk about wrapping some of this around cans, as a virtual ad. Live wallpaper. I'd line my ceilings with it, and put live cameras on top of the house. Stuff like that. Wrapping the entire window area with this stuff would likely weigh FAR less than all the windows, in addition to the huge increase in hull strength and integrity. The strengthening of the areas around the windows wouldn't need to exist either. There's already inflight entertainment systems on board airliners. I'd guess this would be a large weight reduction.

[YogicCowboy]

My virtual self is looking forward to booking a flight.

[trebb]

Good one....;-}