While there are no operational sunroofed aircraft, there have been a few concept designs that have come close.
Can an aircraft have a glass or transparent roof that allows the passengers to gaze at the sky while they fly to their destinations? The question propels one’s mind to the picturesque trains of Switzerland where you can enjoy nature and the views of the mountains while still remaining safe from the elements.
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Are Sunroofs possible on aircraft?
Design Issues
Although it may be a desirable concept to attract passengers, there are core structural problems that come in designing such an aircraft.
The structural integrity of an aircraft is an important parameter to ensure there is no failure of the fuselage that could cause a pressurization failure of the aircraft. The sunroof would be like a large window. Bigger windows require more structural framing, which would make the aircraft heavier and less fuel-efficient.
Improvements in technology like the use of composite materials have allowed larger windows over the years like in the Boeing 787 vs. the older 777 in terms of window size proving that wider designs are possible. Glass canopies used in fighter jets are constructed of three materials (0.5-inch thick Polycarbonate, Polyurethane Glue to sandwich the two layers and a 0.125-inch layer of Acrylic. These have been able to make a bubble that easily withstands speeds and aerodynamic loads that commercial aircraft are subjected to in the air.
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Clearly, if we talk of only the technology, it is possible. So, why don’t we have sunroofs?
Concept Designs
While there are no operational sunroofed aircraft, there have been a few concept designs that have come close. An aviation firm named Windspeed SkyDeck designed a bubble roof – just like a fighter jet window that sits on top of the plane.
Emirates released the following concept design for its airport lounges on April 1st. Although intended as a light-hearted advert, it has the potential as a serious design challenge.
In 2018, Emirates had revealed a concept called SkyLounge, the most exclusive Onboard Lounge to be introduced on its Boeing 777X fleet from 2020. It would have windows at the rear of the 777X that offered unmatched aerial views, a completely transparent lounge, and unparalleled luxury. It remains to be seen when the concept will see the light of day.
A few Questions?
There are a few questions that come to mind.
- Can you have a common area on an aircraft with no seats and only a sunroof, with access to all passengers?
- Would the airline sacrifice passenger seats for this luxury?
- Or should the sunroof be a partial fuselage cover, only in the forward first-class or business class part of the cabin?
- What about passengers in the economy class?
- Will one passenger be able to blank off a part of the sunroof like one can down a window shutter?
- Will it be an impediment not allowing passengers to rest on a long flight?
- With no overhead bins, where do the carry-on bags go?
- Will it be safe to filter the Ultra Violet radiation adequately?
Therefore, it is evident, that despite the grand designs and the technical feasibility, having a sunroof might not be advisable for a passenger aircraft.
What about Private aircraft?
There have already been several concept designs for Wrap-Around Windows onboard private business jets. These design concepts have been around for some time. Why they are possible on private jets is because of the following reasons.
Private aircraft don’t need to accommodate as many passengers, don’t have subdivided classes, and also don’t have to worry about where the sunroof is located. All passengers seamlessly occupy the entire aircraft, devoid of a category distinction.
In some recent design developments, there seems to be a trend to discard side windows altogether. Several firms are designing Windowless Aircraft that use curved OLED TV screens to give you floor to ceiling ‘views’ of the outside, without needing to compromise the structural integrity of the aircraft.
“The aircraft will have beautiful, full-length camera feeds from various angles. Whatever image you want to see can be displayed. You can see left or right, in front of the plane or behind it, looking down or up into the sky. It’s more of a panoramic view than the minimal view that you see out of a porthole window.” – Spike Aerospace president and chief executive officer, Vik Kachoria
What do you think? Do you think this technology concept will become popular? Let us know in the comments.
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