When flying on an airplane don’t you wish that both sides of the plane were windows? I’m the person that’s always trying to sit by the window so I can be able to see what’s going on throughout the flight. I’ve always wondered what it would look like if the entire plane was a window and if that is something that could be possible. I was very interested when I came across an article that described a new technology that would allow passengers to have a panoramic view when traveling.
In the article “Windowless plane would let passengers see world around them” it describes how a UK based company Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) has come up with a new technology that will appeal to both the customer and airplane companies. The idea is to replace the siding of the plane with a high definition screen that will make most of the plane translucent during flight. How it will work is it will have cameras on the outside of the plane that will project everything it picks up in real time on the interior high definition screens. This will give you a panoramic view throughout the duration of the flight. The passenger will also have the option to change their individual screen to any view the plane provides. This will solve the problem of trying to look through the small window across the aisle to get a glimpse of something you were hoping to see.
In class we talked about several things airplanes have done to get more passengers into each plane and raise their profits. This idea of changing the siding of the planes will do just that. These new screens are thinner, stronger and much lighter than what is already in place. By having thinner walls it will provide more room in the cabin to add more seats or to give the passengers more room when flying. Also this will make the plane lighter which will cut back on costs and could lower ticket prices for the consumers. The company has calculated that for every percent of weight change there is a .75 percent savings in fuel costs. With even the slightest savings the customer and companies will see significant price changes.
This very innovative design seems like something very practical for both the airplane companies and the consumers. Even though it may seem like something that will happen far into the future the UPI Company believes it could have a fleet of these planes within the next ten years. I’m very interested to see how this technology develops and if this design ever becomes a reality.
Would you enjoy flying on one of these planes?
Do you think other airplane companies will adopt this technology?
Sources: http://mashable.com/2014/10/27/windowless-plane-oled/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link
I think this could be a risky move for airlines. As it is, some people have a terrible fear of flying and have anxiety the second they step onto a plane. I think some customers would purposely fly a different airline because the thought of seeing these displays would be too much for them and they would be too anxious when they fly. I also think this would be incredibly costly to airlines. How much do these screens cost? Would they have to be implemented into new planes, or could they be attached to existing planes? As cool an idea as this is, it would personally freak me out to have to sit on a plane and see everything around me.
Interesting post! I agree that this new technology is an interesting concept and is definitely innovative. But, as someone who has a fear of heights, I would not want to spend the money to fly on one of these airplanes. I can see some airlines implementing the technology in a few planes, to give consumers the option of having this experience. But, I do not believe this will become mainstream. I agree with the above commentator that adopting the new technology will be risky for airlines. I know several people who hate flying and being on airplanes. They only fly because of the convenience; this airplane experience would be too much.
Interesting post. After reading this post and searching more information about this i find this to be amazing and i would enjoy flying on one. In my opinion i think it will be an enjoyable ride because of the ability to see the everything from above no matter where you are sitting. I’m the type of person who likes to experience new things and this will definitely be one of those (if it happens). I do think other airlines would adapt because many people would want to experience this, however cost can be an issue and might lead the airline to not adopt the technology.
Interesting post! It does seem really cool, but there are some people who would be terrified of flying in this plane. I personally hate flying so I don’t think I would be able to handle it. The benefit of it would be more room and possible decrease in ticket prices which is great. I don’t think other companies will adopt this because they would probably lose many customers. People who are afraid of heights and flying will definitely not fly on these airlines.
I have to agree with everyone in saying that yes there are some people who are afraid to fly, but I do not think this will stop airlines from doing it. I think that it is a very cool innovation that will take off in some form or another. I believe that if it does not work out as being an innovation for the entire plane, they will somehow use it for first class passangers. This will attract more people to pay the higher price for their experience and will eventually create a mock membership club. There are so many people interested in what technology can do where they will pay to see something as cool as this, and will attract many spectators.
Personally, i would enjoy flying on one of these planes. Each time I fly I always want the window seats. This technology has many benefits, it allows for more seating etc that could raise the amount of people who fly. Yet it does have some disadvantages to people who are afraid of heights and have the fear of flying. Seeing it on the screen will make it an uncomfortable plane ride. I think it has a too small target market. It only works for a small group of people who enjoy flying. For others it is just a mode of transportation. Maybe this will work if they could find a way to make these screens available to only a section of the plane and people would have to pay extra for those tickets. I think some Airline companies might adopt this technology but it still needs a lot of work.
Great find! Planes are so big and expensive that it’s rare to see people innovating like this. The bottom line is that this concept looks really cool. I wonder if you fly through a storm then they turn off the screens. It’s probably really scary with lightning and storm clouds. If this is introduced in first class it would be a great selling point. People would definitely pay a premium for the experience. I wonder if Boeing or Airbus will pick up the technology and slowly begin introducing it. Quatar Airlines or Emirates can afford to introduce this tomorrow for their passengers. I’m looking forward to hopefully flying like this one day.
I came across this article a couple days ago. I thought this is such a cool idea especially since I like having a window seat. But on the other side, I was thinking there is also people who are afraid to fly. How is this going to affect them and the companies if they implement this type of technology. I think some airlines that afford the cost of a new plane might adopt this innovation. But they still might question if it is really worth it investing in a windowless plane, because they might lose customers who would not feel comfortable flying in a windowless plan. I would love to fly in a plane like this in the future. Great post!
NO WAY! I don’t think I would ever step foot in one of these airplanes. I know that there are a lot of other people with the same mindset and I think that the only way it could work is if there only had a few these novelty planes. Either way airlines wouldn’t have the longterm profit effects that they would hope for.
Very interesting post! I do believe most people would prefer to have a window view when flying, but taking it to a more extreme level like this would only appeal to a specific group of people. Although it could provide the airline with savings, I believe that looking at the view outside for such a long period of time could cause people to get motion sickness. It could also cause passengers to panic and feel more uneasy when the plane experiences turbulence. Overall I don’t think its a bad idea to give it a try, but I also don’t think it is something that could be widely adopted.