Could Virtual Windows in Airplane Cabins Be the Future of Aviation?

CNN reports Lee Clark, Rosen Aviation’s senior VP for strategy, stated the company is introducing “tomorrow’s technology” in a world already evolving on the ground with smart homes and technologically advanced cars. The goal is to create a futuristic experience with touchless controls and holograms.

The technology will be rolled out in private jets but could make its way to commercial first and business class in the future. Rosen Aviation wants the commercial version to premiere at the Airport Interiors Expo, in Hamberg, Germany in 2022.

“It seems the virtual skylights and virtual windows are among the hottest of topics because they bring in that ability to incorporate augmented reality, some artificial intelligence, and they transform that little porthole window we’ve been living with for decades into something more immersive,” Clark said.

The virtual windows could serve as a part of in-flight entertainment, offering information about the places it’s flying over or just creating a palatable ambiance.

“The critical piece is it’s about the passenger experience, it’s not about the technology,” Clark went on to say. “One of the elements that is most critical for Rosen is the integration of technology seamlessly, that it’s almost invisible technology.”

Some are concerned about the claustrophobic effects of windowless cabins on planes, but Rosen said the company has found the feedback to be overall positive. In the meantime, the Maverick Project still has to make sure a windowless design complies with US Federal Aviation Administration and International Air Transport Association regulations, so it may take a while before we see this at a commercial level.