Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Now that really is a window seat: The $60m supersonic private jet where the entire cabin WALL is a giant screen on the outside world

Live video from outside the plane can create a panoramic image
LA to Tokyo will take just five hours and London to Mumbai, four hours
Interior walls will be covered with a thin display screen
The supersonic jet has a revolutionary windowless passenger cabin. Instead, the interior walls will be covered with a thin display screen.
The spike S-512 is a supersonic jet that will enable travelers to reach destinations in half the time it currently takes.
SPIKE AEROSPACE S-512 SUPERSONIC JET SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 131ft
Wing span: 60ft
Cabin length, height and width: 40ft, 6.2ft and 6.2ft
Basic operating weight: 38,000lbs
Maximum takeoff and landing weight: 84,000lbs
Maximum Payload: 6,000 lbs
Useable Fuel: 40,000lbs
Maximum range: 4,000 nautical miles (7,408km)
Engines:P W JT8D - there are two
Thrust: 19,000lbs per engine
Maximum passenger capacity: 18
Top speed: 1,100mph of Mach 1.6
Price: $60million to $80million or £36.3million to £48.4million
Anticipated delivery: December 2018

The Spike Aerospace S-512 claims to be the 'first supersonic business jet' and promises to cut flight times in half so that busy billionaires will be able to travel from New York to London in just three hours.

However, such convenience and speed comes at a price, as the jet will cost between $60million and $80million (£36.3million and £48.4million).

The engineers, who have previously worked for aerospace giants such as Airbus, Gulfstream and Bombardier, have spent the past two years designing the luxury aircraft and believe the jet will be capable of flying between New York and London in three hours.

LA to Tokyo will take just five hours and London to Mumbai, four hours, according to the firm.

‘It will save passengers time so they can explore more of the world,' the company said.

'Wouldn’t you love to go hiking in New Zealand for the weekend, or fly to Paris for lunch?

The new supersonic jet will also feature a revolutionary windowless passenger cabin so no more glaring sun and no more shades to pull down or push up.

Instead, the interior walls will be covered with a thin display screens embedded into the wall. 


Cameras surrounding the entire aircraft will construct breathtaking panoramic views displayed on the cabin screens. 
Passengers will be able to dim the screens to catch some sleep or change it to one of the many scenic images stored in the system.

'There are several reasons for removing the windows from the cabin,' the firm said.

'It has long been known that the windows cause significant challenges in designing and constructing an aircraft fuselage. They require addition structural support, add to the parts count and add weight to the aircraft. But until recently, it has not been possible to do without them.

'With the micro-cameras and flat displays now available, Spike Aerospace can eliminate the structural issues with windows and reduce the aircraft weight. In addition, the very smooth exterior skin will reduce the drag normally caused by having windows.'
The jet can cruise cruise at average speeds of Mach 1.6-1.8 (1060-1200 mph
Cameras surrounding the entire aircraft will beam panoramic views to the cabin screens. Passengers will be able to dim the screens to catch some sleep or change it to one of the many scenic images stored in the system.
‘The supersonic jet will let you do more, faster,’ it added.
The jet, which is designed to carry between 12 and 18 passengers in the lap of luxury, is intended to take off in December 2018.
However, despite impressive engineering, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has banned supersonic flight over the U.S. making popular flights such as LA to New York unlikely in the near future.
Companies including Nasa and Boeing are currently trying to develop supersonic aircraft of their own to reduce the noise - or boom - that the jets make when breaking the sound barrier.
Vik Kachoria, President and CEO of Spike Aerospace, wrote in a blog that Elon Musk, founder of Tesla Motors and SpaceX, told a New York times Dealbook conference that 'there’s an interesting opportunity to create a supersonic, electric, vertical take-off and landing jet.'

‘It seems unlikely to come from Boeing or Airbus, given that they seem to be focused on very incremental improvements to their planes as opposed to radical improvements. So it could come from a start-up.
¿It will save passengers time so they can explore more of the world,' the company said. 'Wouldn¿t you love to go hiking in New Zealand for the weekend, or fly to Paris for lunch?

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