Future Airplanes -- 2025 -- would you fly on a plane with no windows?

[OWC Jamie]

I wish Alitalia would put seats like those on their old long haul Airbusses.
At least there's room for da knees.

[Rick-o]

Dakota wrote:
What is NASA doing in commercial aviation? Looks like they are really out of ideas.

It's ok, we know you don't comprehend the issues being discussed here.

[Mac1337]

cbelt3 wrote:


You must have never read NASA Tech Briefs.

How could I have missed those?

[Carnos Jax]

Perhaps next time you should look more carefully before sticking your foot in your mouth.

[sunfalcon]

I've already been halfway around the world with no windows on a C-130. I would think a commercial airliner would be a nicer flight though!

[Black]

cbelt3 wrote:
Windows are always a stress point in planes.. remembering the DeHaviland Comet's disastrous design flaws...

What about transparent aluminum?

[Uncle Wig]

cbelt3 wrote:
Windows are always a stress point in planes.. remembering the DeHaviland Comet's disastrous design flaws...

I think it's safe to say they've got the window problem licked! They're not at the top of the list of weak spots for pressurization failures.

The Comet I had rectangular windows. The corners were a spot for cracks to form and propagate, which is what caused the disastrous in-flight breakups. That problem was eliminated in later models but by then it was too late: the 707 was on the scene.

[Carnos Jax]

Very true. The only thing I might add though is that presence of windows (or any 'cutout' such as doors, etc.), especially in a pressurized aircraft which cycles between ground level air pressure and the lower air pressure of cruising altitudes (like all airliners pretty much), will force the weight of the aircraft to go up due to the structural reinforcements required. The larger the window, the worse it gets. Nothing wrong with that however, it's a design tradeoff. Some aircraft like the larger Gulfstream business jets have relatively large windows. The added weight penalty is acceptable in the face of other design considerations.