Aircraft windows have always been a sticking point in the bid to go faster, cheaper and safer. As well as creating drag, the additional structural support and parts required for windows add weight to the plane. Spike Aerospace is set to overcome these problems by doing away with cabin windows altogether in its S-512 jet, and replacing them with video screens embedded in the interior walls. The S-512 is expected to be the first supersonic business jet, with a cruising speed of Mach 1.6 (1,220 mph/1,963 km/h) and a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 (1,370 mph/2,205 km/h). This will almost double the Cessna Citation X’s top speed of Mach 0.935 (710 mph/1,143 km/h) and will enable passengers to fly between New York and London in 3-4 hours instead of 6-7 hours, and between LA and Tokyo in 8 hours as opposed to 14-16 hours. In place of windows, the S-512 will use video cameras on the fuselage to relay real-time panoramic video to the screens inside the cabin. According to Spike, passengers will be able to dim the screens when they need to sleep, and will also be able to change the content on the screens. In addition to the windowless cabin, Spike claims that the S-512 will see innovations in materials, avionics and propulsion. The first deliveries of the S-512 are expected in 2018. ( By Stuart Robarts from www.gizmag.com ) The video below introduces the S-512. For more information, follow also the link below.
