Passenger planes of the future may be quite a different experience from what we experience today. The claustrophobic sensation of being in a tiny fuselage among a hundred other passengers may soon give way to a sensation of awe as the fuselage suddenly becomes transparent and passengers look in any direction able to see themselves passing through the clouds without the plane anywhere in sight. Imagine standing in a plane as the floor suddenly vanishes from sight and seeing the ground passing beneath your feet a thousand feet below.
Imagine sitting down in your seat and watching as the plane’s fuselage disappears all around you. As you watch yourself suspended in what seems to be thin air the plane would begin take off and you would be able to see the runway quickly speeding past you on the ground. As the craft made its ascent you would be able to observe your ascent as you quickly took off the ground. Many people would have various reactions to this technology. Many have already declared they would never get on an invisible plane even if they were paid to. But imagine, if you will, the breathtaking sight of flying into a storm cloud and witnessing the cloud parting in front of you as you soar into the distance. This incredible technology may just what the aviation industry needs to keep flying. But other than a tourist draw, how many applications will there be for invisible aircraft? And what problems might these planes face if they ever got off the ground so to speak?
Aside from the obvious military applications of invisibility technology, there is a very real possibility that people travelling with invisibility technology may find the experience more convenient as windows are customized to each passengers’ wishes. If an electrified field around a specially treated plate are all that is necessary to render an area invisible, windows could simply be made of layers like onions that could be made wider or smaller leaving the flying experience still more convenient for those terrified of flying.
Will invisible planes be the future of air travel? And what problems will they face? First of all, bathrooms will obviously have to be made opaque for the convenience and privacy of passengers. The seats would obviously still be visible. And there may even be a carpeted area or platform for passengers to make sure they were able to see their way around the craft. The cockpit would likely have to remain opaque, or a wall would have to be placed between the passengers and the pilots of the craft. And if the vehicle were entirely invisible to the outside as well, it may pose a threat to birds and other planes in the area. Landing and guidance may be more difficult without visual confirmation unless the plane once again turned opaque. But these problems seem small enough given the opportunity to soar amid the clouds in what seems like an unaided and magical trip.