Note: This is a guest post brought to you by JustFly
While cars, trains, and other vehicles have changed quite a bit in the last few decades, the basics of commercial aircraft design have remained stagnant. In fact, odds are the plane you are flying in could be up to 30 years old. If that sounds crazy, well it isn’t.
Aircraft are built to be in service for up to three decades, with cosmetic changes often applied to older planes. While there is plenty of chat about how to improve the overall flight experience from gate to gate I have seldom heard of any specific changes coming when we eventually graduate to the aircraft fleet of tomorrow.
To find out what some of the changes could be I spoke with the online travel company JustFly.
Viewing Galleries and In-Window Displays
Unless you frequent Mount Everest, the views from a plane can be some of the best you will ever see. So, why doesn’t the industry sell the idea of the crazy good sight lines that are possible when flying at 32,000 feet? They may just start according to JustFly’s review.
This all starts with some design changes (that I will cover in more detail later) that incorporate the relocation of the cockpit. The front of the plane could in fact become a viewing area where you can finally get a view bigger than the small windows you have now.
Now, those windows. It’s entirely possible that these windows could be replaced with displays that show you basic information like time, eta, and the weather at your destination.
Virtual Reality
Who isn’t talking about virtual reality right now? According to JustFly, aircraft designers are beginning to look into the idea of replacing the in-seat display with headsets. Why? Because virtual reality is awesome.
But, beyond simply improving the in-flight experience, there is a growing school of thought that virtual reality can bemused to help calm nervous flyers and those with phobias, giving some people ease of mind while travelling through the skies.
Aircraft Design Changes
Boring, I know, but aircraft design is changing for the better in the near future. As I already mentioned, engineers are coming to terms with the fact the cockpit does not need to be at the front of the plane anymore. This is making it possible for more aerodynamic designs or potentially galleries for seeing outside the plane.
Another big change could come in the form of shrinking airplane tails. Some engineers say an airplanes tail could shrink by up to 30% and not effect performance or safety and increase fuel efficiency.
Lastly, bugs. Planes hit a lot of bugs. Designing non-stick layers on the outside of planes could prevent gut build up, once again increasing efficiency.
We definitely can’t wait to see these upgrades coming real soon on our flights!
Note: This guest post was brought to you by JustFly
