19 July 2010

Airbus flies into the future with see-through aircraft walls

Air passengers will get a glimpse into the future of flight as aircraft manufacturer Airbus unveils its Concept Plane at the Farnborough International Airshow this week.

Ultra long and slim wings, semi-embedded engines, a U-shaped tail and lightweight Ã¢â¬ËœintelligentÃ¢â¬â¢ body all feature to further improve environmental performance or Ã¢â¬Ëœeco-efficiencyÃ¢â¬â¢.

Charles Champion, executive vice president engineering at Airbus, says, Ã¢â¬ÅâœThe Airbus Concept Plane represents an engineerÃ¢â¬â¢s dream about what an aircraft could look like in the long term future.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœItÃ¢â¬â¢s not a real aircraft and all the technologies it features, though feasible, are not likely to come together in the same manner. Here we are stretching our imagination and thinking beyond our usual boundaries.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœWith the Airbus Concept Plane we want to stimulate young people from all over the world to engage with us so that we can continue to share the benefits of air transport while also looking after the environment.Ã¢â¬~

In Ã¢â¬ËœThe Future by AirbusÃ¢â¬â¢ the company talks of morphing seats made from ecological, self-cleaning materials, which change shape for a snug fit; walls that become see-through at the touch of a button, affording 360 degree views of the world below; and holographic projections of virtual decors, allowing travellers to transform their private cabin into an office, bedroom or Zen garden.

Some of these aircraft may even fly in formation like birds to reduce drag, fuel burn and therefore emissions.

Friday is Futures Day at the airshow when registration opens for AirbusÃ¢â¬â¢ Ã¢â¬ËœFly Your IdeasÃ¢â¬â¢ Ã¢â¬' a global competition challenging university students to develop new ideas for a greener aviation industry.

The winners will share the top prize of Ã¢'š~¬ 30,000; the runners-up Ã¢'š~¬15,000.