360-Degree Bubble Lets You Ride Atop a Plane

Windspeed Technologies' concept canopy puts you in the best seat onboard.

December 30, 2015, 3:45pm

Image courtesy of Shakil Hussain at Windspeed Technologies LLC

Imagine being on a typical five-hour flight from New York to Los Angeles and getting a seat by the window that’s just big enough to squish your face up against it to watch the sky in flight. These little windows are one of the very few inherent entertainment aspects of being 10,000 feet above ground. Then, imagine being able to, mid-flight, take an elevator or staircase up to the SkyDeck, a clear, bubble-like room atop the plane, with two seats, giving you a panoramic view of the clouds. As The Telegraph asks, is SkyDeck the ultimate window seat?

SkyDeck is created by the Everett, Washington-based Windspeed Technologies LLC, and is what they call a “revolutionary new in-flight entertainment product.” Essentially this small room with an excellent view can be accessed through an elevator (Option 1) or a staircase (Option 2) and any passenger, for a certain price, can have the chance to experience the plane’s external environment like never before.

With the patent and trademark pending, Windspeed Technologies hopes that SkyDeck could provide a design solution for long, monotonous flights. They explain on their website, that “current in-flight entertainment offerings have not changed much over the decades. We wanted to come up with a product that would provide a higher level of entertainment to reduce the boredom of long flights.”

The Creators Project got a chance to speak with Windspeed Technologies’s President and CEO, Shakil Hussain, about the SkyDeck, how the idea came about, and how it can be implemented in the future:

Image courtesy of Shakil Hussain at Windspeed Technologies LLC

The Creators Project: When did you first get the idea for SkyDeck?

Shakil Hussain: Around mid 2014 I had the idea of coming up with a design to allow the common aircraft passengers to experience a better view of the outside of the aircraft while in flight. The current aircraft windows are small and does not do justice in providing a great view. Therefore the idea of the SkyDeck was born.

How long have you been working on it?

About 2 years.

I read that it’s possible for the SkyDeck to be retrofit to already existing planes. Have you already paired with an airline? If so, when will it debut?

The SkyDeck can either be retrofit on existing planes or it can be installed by the OEM aircraft manufacturers on a new plane. We have not been approached by the airlines yet, however we have started to receive enquiries from private jet owners who would like to consider having one installed on their aircraft.

Image courtesy of Shakil Hussain at Windspeed Technologies LLC

Could you design something like the SkyDeck for the everyday or does it have to remain at a luxury experience?

Its is designed for both the private aircraft owners and also the airlines who can charge customers on a pay-per-view basis.

Do you have a personal preference between Option 1 and Option 2 for getting up to the SkyDeck?

They are both great designs in my opinion. Option 1, the Elevator version, is however the more luxurious version, but more costly.

Does having the SkyDeck atop of the plane change the aerodynamics of how it flies?

The canopy is shaped like a teardrop and the fact that it is positioned at the rear of the aircraft, any increase in drag is small to negligible. Therefore the flight characteristics of the aircraft will not change.

Do you think SkyDeck will change the way people see flying?

Absolutely. I believe the SkyDeck will provide people with a "once in a lifetime" sort of an experience. They will experience flying like they have never before.