See-Through Planes and Holographic Games: Airbus Unveils Flying in 2050
By Kate Schneider, News.com.au | Jun. 14, 2011
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Now this is one flight worth waiting for.
Airbus has released details of its "cabin of the future" design, which it hopes to make real by 2050.
The new plane has an extraordinary see-through cabin, which will open up the skies - and cities and landscapes thousands of feet below - to passengers.
The "intelligent" wall membrane of the cabin becomes transparent at the wave of a hand and could also change according to light conditions.
New seats are sensitive to passengers' body shapes and needs, offering massages, drinks and even a sea breeze or the aroma of a forest.
Holographic pop-up gaming displays and in-flight entertainment will be powered by the heat of passengers' bodies.
The aircraft will be built using a bionic structure that mimics the bone structure of birds.
"Bone is both light and strong because its porous interior carries tension only where necessary, leaving space elsewhere," the company said in its website.
"By using bionic structures, the fuselage has the strength it needs, but can also make the most of extra space where required. This not only reduces the aircraft's weight and fuel burn, but also makes it possible to add features like oversized doors for easier boarding and panoramic windows."
The cabin's bionic structure will be coated with a biopolymer membrane, which controls the amount of natural light, humidity and temperature, providing transparency on command and eliminating the need for windows.
Airbus has compared the cabin's electrical system to that of the human brain, with "a network of intelligence pulsating through the cabin".
Materials used in the cabin would be self-cleaning and even self-repairing.
The "vitalising zone" will offer passengers a panoramic view. Picture: Courtesy of Airbus S.A.S
And this is how passengers will enjoy travelling at night. Picture: Courtesy of Airbus S.A.S
Bored on board? How about a game of virtual golf. Picture: Courtesy of Airbus S.A.S
Gone are stuffy cabins, and in their place - a window to the world. Picture: Courtesy of Airbus S.A.S