Windowless Cockpit Patent
 

See what Airbus has filed for!
Airbus submits patent application for windowless jet cockpit | Ars Technica

Whoever filed the patent seems to think you could put the cockpit anywhere in the aircraft. I don't think they have considered the acceleration forces on the crew in some of these positions.

Throwing the crew around in their "cockpit" is one way to initiate a PIO!

I'd be interested to know how they expect to avoid the occasional non-squawking object one encounters.

is this the first step in operating them in the same wayas drones, from the ground. But what happens in an emergency (or otherwise) when the crew needs to see out the window?

First you take away their windows so they can't see out of them. Then you take them away from the plane itself.

Just more of the same old "bullsh*t"that forms an ever increasing part of modern life.
Thank God i'm getting even older !

No offense but, first airbus emphasized All ends out over automation but, then had to rethink after several serious incidents and crashes. Now, what a vague idea of being totally blind in case of failure of the CRTs but, I guess they must be using a periscope for emergency purposes.... Hahah

From the article, before we get too het up!

Also, consider the source. ArsTechnica is a technology news site (albeit a long-standing, reputable one). In the tech arena, we're well used to patents such as these being filed - not necessarily with the intent of making the patent a reality so much as a potential financial opportunity should another company make something similar and thus require some form of licencing.

:ok:

*sigh* - No, they didn't.

A windowless cockpit as such is probably not inovative enough to deserve a patent.

I recall reading, several years ago, about an experimental B737 that had the flight deck duplicated somewhere back in the fuselage. The "classic" flight deck was retained, for safety reasons, but it as demonstrated that the aircraft could be successfully flown from the experimental flight deck in all phases of flight.

Also, an early concept for Concord(e), even before they agreed on the final "e", was that there should be no windows in the droop nose. The flight crew would have sight of the outside world only in subsonic configuration.

So, unless there is a lot more to it, the patent claim should fail on the grouns of "prior art".

There has been quite a bit of talk with manufacturers, about a windowless fuselage.
'windows' would be replaced by displays fed by cameras.
The fuselage without windows would weigh about 25% less. That is very significant. The ac would be much quieter inside the cabin as well.

I can see this on the flightdeck very easily. Instead of windows, you would have a bank of displays. The display size would not be restricted. HUD would be integrated, as well as many other features such as zoom, IR, ILS/GLS guidance, or thermal. Hell, you could even have a touchscreen with the FMS right on the display, no looking down.

Aerodynamically, the nose without windows would be an incredible leap forward.

Looking at the Patent app, prior art may be the Starship Enterprise!
http://i61.tinypic.com/2em3ax5.jpg

A fuselage without any windows at all (which isn't what we're talking about here) would be far lighter than that as there would be no need to worry about any passengers wanting to fly in the thing ...

Dave, monitors would replace the 'window' space. Cameras would provide the view. most people wouldnt even know the difference...(Emergency exit doors would still have windows.) Look how popular the Airbus tailcam is...

I have been on many military aircraft where there are no windows, no one seemed to care.

(flightdeck is in the fuselage ;-) )

isn't that what a simulator is;a windowless cockpit? :D

touch screens! a wonderful control idea ....NOT!

once upon a time there was an ocean going tug boat.
bloody huge thing.
engineers thought we'll equip it with the latest in control systems.
we'll use touch screens and virtual buttons.

they built the new wonder tug using all the best that modern control systems could offer.
come the day the paint had dried and the sea trials were underway.
touch on the screen and turn left.
touch on the screen and full power.
touch o the screen and we come to a stop.
touch on the screen and we power up again.
touch and turn left.

the sea trials went on for a few hours and touch what you liked and the ship obeyed. all went sparklingly well for the hours of the sea trials.
heading back to port and all were patting themselves on the back.
wonderful stuff.

heading back to the jetty and about to manoeuvre for the final tie up against the wharf and the captain got a fit of the sneezes.
little bits of spit went everywhere on the touch screen.
the computer proceeded to interpret every little bit of spit as a key press.
the ocean going tugboat came faithfully to full power turned as instructed and totally demolished the end of the jetty.

captains last words.
a sweep of the hand past all the modern high tech interfaces and the instruction "....fcuk it all off. its a fail"

I kid you not. this really did occur.

who's for the new airbus interface then?????

Windowless cockpit?
 

Meh, been done before!

http://www.weekendhobby.com/rc/webbo...8255214202.jpg

RC touchscreen flightdeck.....

http://i60.tinypic.com/73ndde.jpg

Thank you Machinbird for extracting that information.

Gilbert Klopfstein said WINDSHIELD is the First instrument.

Daimler Benz/ Airbus's autoritarism radicalism and excess of systems' mind is at work once more, no matter of price of life. History learns them nothing:ugh:

when I see under fire's screen image I could just spit ....or sneeze :E

You obviously have not flown recently. SLF routinely now close the blinds (if any have been left open) on getting to their window (sic) seats and either go to sleep or extract electronics. Flights nowadays are like being in a cargo hold. Most SLF would not notice the lack of windows.

underfire

That looks like a lot of floor space to tie up for cockpit functions when the airlines could sell it as additional seats. It will more likely be Occulus Rift VR goggles and joystick controllers for the flight crew, seated in the last row of economy.

D8,
Touchscreens, time to evolve my friend....

Here is the flightdeck for the A350...

http://www.flightstory.net/wp-conten...eck_center.jpg

and B787

http://www.boeing.com/randy/images/7...k_close_lg.jpg

EE, according to the patent, the flightdeck is relegated to forward baggage..

http://i57.tinypic.com/1fifr5.jpg

For those of you too young to remember NASA's windowless B737 program.

http://crgis.ndc.nasa.gov/crgis/images/c/c1/96-005.pdf

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/...nthVision.html