Airbus Plans to Eliminate Cockpit Windows

Jul-08-14 A new cockpit window design from Airbus eschews the window altogether, replacing it with a digitally displayed image that provides a 3D, real-time view of the outside world.

Cockpit windows are becoming more troublesome as aircraft designs evolve. They add an element of weakness to the plane's structure and require heavy reinforcement, and also require that the cockpit be located in the nose of the plane, which reduces valuable cabin space.

Airbus's design, which was recently patented, replaces the cockpit window with a display fed by cameras mounted outside the plane's fuselage. Additional cameras can come online for use during taxiing and parking, and information such as weather alerts or navigation beacons can be displayed as augmented reality. This new design would not only replace traditional windows, but could also allow the cockpit to be placed elsewhere in the plane, such as in the tail or cargo hold.

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[GIZMAG.COM]
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