One of the reasons many people feel anxious about flying is a sense of feeling stuck in a metal tube high up in the air. For some, it can help to sit in the window seat so that there is some sense of spatial expansion and locational context from the horizon.Wouldn't it be even better to combat claustrophobia with a glass roof providing a feeling of spaciousness from the vast blue sky above - or a canopy of twinkling stars in the night? Not to mention the problems it would solve with cabin lighting (although we can imagine the arguments that might arise, the ownership of the window blind is cause for conflict enough).So why don't aircraft have a glass or transparent roof that allows for sunlight during the day and becomes a stargazing platform at night?

Is it even possible?

Instead of starting with the merits of such a design, we should discuss if it is even possible for aircraft to have a sunroof. Naturally, the core structural problem would be that such a large window (or large enough to be useful) would make the overall pressurization of the aircraft more difficult.

Bigger windows require more structural framing, making the aircraft heavier. In a time of fuel and emissions savings, this is a big no-no for air operators. Although, the introduction of composite materials, like on the Boeing 787, has allowed for larger and wider windows than on earlier designs.

Smaller airframes do, of course, feature transparent canopies. Military fighter jet pilots depend on a full overview of their surroundings in order to fulfill their missions. And yes, we will take this opportunity to share a scene from Top Gun Maverick.

Generally constructed of three materials (0.5-inch thick polycarbonate, polyurethane glue to sandwich the two layers and a 0.125-inch layer of acrylic), engineers have been able to make a bubble that easily withstands speeds that commercial aircraft can only dream of.

So if we have the technology, why don't we have sunroofs?

Concept designs

While no sunroofed commercial aircraft exist today, there are a couple of concept designs that have come close to at least imagining it.

First, there is an aviation firm called Windspeed SkyDeck. They have developed what is essentially a bubble-like fighter jet window that sits on top of the plane. It is accessed through an elevator construction from what seems to be, at least conceptually, a quite luxurious cabin.

In 2018, Emirates released a near-fully transparent cabin concept for its lounges as an April Fool's joke. Although, if engineers can ever pull off a design like that in real life, it would probably be a major hit with some of the Gulf carrier's premium passengers.

The mock-up featured windows at the rear of the upcoming 777X that would offer unmatched aerial views. Although, the most humoristic part of this particular April Fool's might have been "its Boeing 777X fleet from 2020."

Why it may not work for airlines

Despite the dreams above, having a sunroof on an aircraft might not be advisable for passengers. For one, where would you build the sunroof? For the business class passengers? For economy? Who would have access to the area to look above? Would this area mean that it is a public space with no seats? In that case, it would mean that the airline transports fewer passengers than the sunless competition.

We have already touched on the window blind up vs. down conundrum, particularly given people traveling from different time zones. And while you do not get a sunburn through glass, some UV radiation still gets through, with about 75% of UVA radiation passing through transparent glass. This can lead to skin damage and genetic mutations.

Sunroof
Photo: Emirates

Lastly, this is all assuming that there are no wires, ducts, pipes, or any other materials running through the ceiling, including the overhead bag bins.

It seems that a sunroof may not work for commercial aircraft. Private aircraft, on the other hand...

Private aircraft sunroof concepts

There have already been several concept designs for wrap-around windows onboard private business jets, such as the Skyacht One from Sotto Studios based on an Embraer Lineage 1000E private jet

Embraer sky yacht concept
Photo: Embraer

Private aircraft don't need to accommodate as many passengers as possible, nor have to worry about where the sunroof is.

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However, it looks like the trend is moving away from windows altogether. Several firms are designing windowless aircraft that use curved OLED TV screens to give you floor-to-ceiling 'views' of the surroundings, without needing to compromise the aircraft. Images will be projected onto the walls of the aircraft to allow passengers to see what is happening outside.

Spike
Photo: Spike Aerospace

Supersonic hopeful Spike Aerospace president and chief executive officer, Vik Kachoria, says the system will provide,

"...beautiful, full-length camera feeds from various angles. Whatever image you want to see can be displayed. You can see left or right, in front of the plane or behind it, looking down or up into the sky. It's more of a panoramic view than the minimal view that you see out of a porthole window."

What do you think? Do you want a sunroof onboard your aircraft? Let us know in the comments.