Whale-Like Plane

Submitted by Bratislav Stankovic on Sat, 2014-02-15 12:24

Oscar Viñals, Aviation enthusiast and Barcelona-based designer came up with the Sky Whale as a futuristic vision for greener air travel. According to the description of his design , he combined existing technology with concepts that don’t exist yet , all with purpose to maximize performance while minimizing the environmental impact. His design could reduce both air and noise pollution.

Sky Whale would seat 755 passengers on three floors. For comparison, an A380 can be configured to seat 853. But most striking is Viñals’ plan to power the aircraft. He calls for “a unique, hybrid turbo-electric propulsion system” consisting of four oversize electric-fuel engines that can each rotate up to 45 degrees for takeoff and landing. We’re clearly not there yet, but Viñals anticipates significant advances in battery technology.

Additionally, Sky Whale’s design calls for a ceiling structure containing micro-solar cells arranged in a hexagonal pattern to help power passengers’ electronics and give the engines a boost. Other cool elements: active wings, carbon nanotubes, self-healing skin and virtual reality windows with adaptable opacity similar to these.

News, Jan 15, 2014