Looking out from the cabin window, seeing the city and the ocean from above, is one of the joys of flying for many of us.

But aviation innovator Rosen Aviation believes that this experience can be taken to a new level, making actual aircraft windows obsolete.

The American airline touts its Maverick Project aircraft cabin design as the next frontier of the in-flight experience. The key part of the package? Virtual window.

“The Maverick project was born to bring tomorrow’s technology into tomorrow’s aircraft,” said Lee Clark, Rosen’s senior vice president of strategy.

According to Rosen, “tomorrow’s technology” also means non-contact control, holograms, and stylish futuristic aesthetics.

“The Maverick project originated because the entire industry lags behind the home, residential, and automotive world to some extent,” he said.

Rosen collaborated with KiPcreating and Sky-Style, hoping to change this dynamic through the Maverick project.

But although the visual renderings look very flashy, Clark said that the goal is not to pursue high technology for the sake of high technology.

“The key is the passenger experience, not the technology,” Clark said.

“One of the most critical elements for Rosen is the seamless integration of technology, which is almost invisible technology.”

Rosen envisions the Maverick project on a private jet, but the company also plans to showcase the commercial version at next year’s airport interior design expo, an annual industry event that highlights innovation in cabin design.

“It’s totally business-friendly, first-class – I think some of these technologies can even penetrate the coaching environment,” Clark said.

Virtual window

Maverick Project replaced the traditional porthole cabin windows with virtual screens.

Courtesy Rosen Airlines

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the fake windows are particularly eye-catching.

“Virtual skylights and virtual windows seem to be one of the hottest topics, because they bring the ability to combine augmented reality and some artificial intelligence, and they turn the little porthole we have lived in for decades into a more immersive Things,” Clark said.

The idea is that a virtual window can depict the world outside the aircraft through an OLED screen covered with details. For example, if an airplane flies over a mountain range, landmark information will flash on the screen.

The result is fewer structural concepts for windows and more in-flight entertainment (IFE) parts.

The Maverick project is designed to fit in the space of private jets, but it is said that commercial jets will be launched soon.

Courtesy Rosen Airlines

Rosen recently completed a research project in collaboration with the University of Colorado and Textron Aviation to examine people’s reactions to virtual windows. Clark said he could not disclose too much information about the results of the study at will, but the subjects responded very positively.

Clark added that innovating cabin windows has other advantages.

“From an engineering point of view, virtual windows bring many benefits from structural integrity, lightweight to aerodynamics.”

But Clark emphasized that the main purpose of Maverick Project window design is to enhance the journey of passengers.

Non-contact technology

The design also incorporates non-contact technology.

Courtesy Rosen Airlines

Rosen’s Maverick project also uses contactless technology-after Covid-19, it is more attractive than ever.

“All of this was developed and created before Covid appeared,” Clark said. “This is just a natural and intuitive way of control-and it happens to have non-contact and hygienic benefits.”

However, although the Maverick project has attracted praise and attention, as Clark said, the fact that the aviation industry is “significantly behind” ground technology can cause problems.

Compliance with regulations set by the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Air Transport Association means that aircraft designers cannot easily or quickly remove windows or flip the cabin.

“This not only increased the timetable and budget, but also caused suppliers and manufacturers to operate very conservatively,” Clark said. “It’s really not their own fault, but it does have undesirable consequences.”

Clark suggested that “comprehensive partnerships” might be a way to circumvent this potential obstacle.

Nonetheless, Clark said Rosen is still “cooperating with a leading global airline” to study “how we can increase their IFE supply.”

Although the details of this cooperation are still confidential, perhaps some of the modified aspects of the Maverick project will soon become a reality on the plane.

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