From news Wed Apr 4 16:41:03 2001 Path: ditka!bounce-back Newsgroups: sci.aeronautics.airliners Date: 04 Apr 2001 16:41:21 From: Tom Digby Subject: Re: Aircraft design question References: Message-ID: Approved: hrose-saa@ckdhr.com@ditka.Chicago.COM Sender: hrose-saa@ckdhr.com@ditka.Chicago.COM X-Trace: nntp1.ba.best.com 986175186 69786 206.184.139.150 (2 Apr 2001 01:33:06 GMT) Organization: The ISP formerly known as Best NNTP-Posting-Host: shell18.ba.best.com Ken Ishiguro wrote: > Part of engineering is capturing and meeting requirements in cost effective > or unique ways. Why is there a requirement for a window? Presumably so the > passenger can see out, and also so people don't become claustrophobic. As > you and others have stated, there's a lot of factors involved. > ISTM that an ergonomically designed cabin and lighting will provide an > illusion of spaciousness. Airframe manufacturers and airlines put a lot of > effort into cabin design to accomplish this. As far as seeing out, a camera > system and an in-seat LCD display with individually selectable / changeable > views will meet the "see out" requirement. As a potential passenger, I want a "real" window, not just a TV hookup. If I'm looking at the Grand Canyon or the Rock of Gibraltar or maybe just the curvature of the Earth or a sunset or something, I want to actually see it with my own eyes. It's like the difference between seeing your favorite performer at a live concert and staying home and watching on TV. It may not be a rational feeling, but it's there. If the window has to be small with a limited view, a TV hookeup might be good to supplement it. But I still want the real window. -- Tom Digby bubbles@well.com http://www.well.com/~bubbles/