No Windows. Stronger Planes.

It is always good to start the new year with something inspirational. Technicon Design created a 3-minute video to demonstrate their IXION Windowless Jet Concept. Worth watching full screen.

How can a plane with no windows offer better views for passengers?

Windows vs Fuselage Strength

When we add a window to the fuselage of an airplane, we reduce the strength of the fuselage. Glass is weaker than aluminum. So aircraft engineers need to make up for the lost strength. The engineers might add a support structure, thicken the aluminum, or try a different alloy.

But when windows are eliminated, structural integrity is maintained. And the weight of the plane can be reduced because we can eliminate the extra supports.

How Do We See Without Windows

As shown in the Technicon video, views can be better without windows! Cameras are mounted at strategic points on the outside of the plane. And the inner surface of the plane, the part that passengers can see, is covered with a display material. Computers take the images captured by the external cameras, and they translate that into images for display on the inner walls of the plane.

The result: Passengers feel like they’re flying in a glass plane. That’s an idea best communicated through the Technicon video.

Applying Tech Across Industries

Processing power continues to fall in price. Flat panel monitors get less expensive each day. The window-less plane shows us what can happen when advances in one industry are applied to another. Blend these advances with a high-speed internet connection delivered via satellite, and the Internet of Things (IoT) takes a great leap forward. Cross-discipline engineering is exciting.

Happy New Year!