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It wouldn’t be a long wait if you want a rerun of the journey Captain Spock took in Star Trek, as Airbus is coming up with an aircraft (currently at the concept stage) that is entirely transparent. Although, the look is imposing, the aircraft would definitely not be for the faint-hearted.

Airbus wants to build the concept plane using what it calls “a bionic structure” that is conceived from the bone structure of birds. So, with the entire plane being transparent, there will be no need for windows.

This concept will not only pare weight and fuel costs but also revolutionise even the interiors, which will see gigantic transparent doors.

The cabin’s bionic structure will have a coat of biopolymer membrane in order to control natural light, humidity and temperature. Even the degree of transparency can be varied.

This transparent set up could pose a problem during bumpy flights, especially for the faint-hearted, and for some, it could result in nausea in case of a steep climb or a free fall of the plane.

The composite materials used in the making of the new plane could be radically different from what you see currently.

The interesting thing is that materials that are likely to be used may not be solid at all and, believe it or not, could be a combination of liquids or gases! This was revealed by the French aircraft maker.

Well here’s something that can unseat you. Materials that can change shape and go back to their original form could be used to make seats on the plane. These materials are supposed to be “intelligent” and can adjust themselves according to passenger requirements (the seat inclination, for instance).

Some elements in the cabin are likely to be created using additive layer manufacturing. In this process, very thin layers of material on top of each other are “printed” (like in a laser printer) until they become a solid object. This helps when complex shapes need to be formed and the technique is being tested for making small aircraft parts.

So, can Airbus put this concept to commercial use. May be not, as a passenger list of say 300-400 could have children, the aged with heart ailments and of course the faint-hearted, who will not be suitable candidates to travel on this plane and the design could only be suitable if the aircraft maker wants to keep it as a showpiece rather than for regular use.

But, as said earlier, the level of transparency can be varied. If this can be done till the extent of making the Airbus plane opaque, it could be suitable for even the faint-hearted but what is the use of the new design as all the fun of having a transparent plane will be lost.