Boeing Flies Blended Wing Body Research Aircraft

"Matt Whiting" wrote

That may be true, but my understanding is that all market survey work done
to date has shown consumers to soundly reject an airplane without windows.
However, maybe future generations will have a different view as you say.

If the airline could offer you a ticket reduced 25% in price, that same
market survey would suddenly find that the people really like having no
windows. g

Money talks, BS walks, as the saying goes.
--
Jim in NC

In article ,
Matt Whiting wrote:

That may be true, but my understanding is that all market survey work
done to date has shown consumers to soundly reject an airplane without
windows. However, maybe future generations will have a different view
as you say.

Is there enough of a cargo market to make a cargo-only design?

I know I'm being just a little absurd here, but imagine if you came up with
a design which was so much more efficient than the current fleet that it
could capture 100% of the cargo market over the next 10 years. Could you
make that fly with no pax sales?

"Roy Smith" wrote

I know I'm being just a little absurd here, but imagine if you came up
with
a design which was so much more efficient than the current fleet that it
could capture 100% of the cargo market over the next 10 years. Could you
make that fly with no pax sales?

Possibly, I would think.

Depending on its short field abilities, it would help a lot if it had
performance of a C-17, or better. If the military was interested in buying
it, it would definitely be able to make a go of it.
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:
"Matt Whiting" wrote

That may be true, but my understanding is that all market survey work done
to date has shown consumers to soundly reject an airplane without windows.
However, maybe future generations will have a different view as you say.

If the airline could offer you a ticket reduced 25% in price, that same
market survey would suddenly find that the people really like having no
windows. g

Money talks, BS walks, as the saying goes.

Maybe, but I really doubt there will be a 25% delta.

Matt

Morgans wrote:
"Matt Whiting" wrote

That may be true, but my understanding is that all market survey work done
to date has shown consumers to soundly reject an airplane without windows.
However, maybe future generations will have a different view as you say.

If the airline could offer you a ticket reduced 25% in price, that same
market survey would suddenly find that the people really like having no
windows. g

Every flight I've flown lately has a full first class, so don't tell me
that everyone goes only for the low-priced ticket. Lots of people will
pay lots of money for a better ride.

Matt

Matt Whiting wrote:


Every flight I've flown lately has a full first class, so don't tell me
that everyone goes only for the low-priced ticket. Lots of people will
pay lots of money for a better ride.

Matt

Matt,

I'll answer your next question first, by saying "No, I don't have the
exact figures", but I believe that the vast majority of domestic First
Class seats are occupied by mileage plan users, not full fare paying
passengers.

Happy Flying!
Scott Skylane

Scott Skylane wrote:
Matt Whiting wrote:


Every flight I've flown lately has a full first class, so don't tell
me that everyone goes only for the low-priced ticket. Lots of people
will pay lots of money for a better ride.

Matt

Matt,

I'll answer your next question first, by saying "No, I don't have the
exact figures", but I believe that the vast majority of domestic First
Class seats are occupied by mileage plan users, not full fare paying
passengers.

Happy Flying!
Scott Skylane

I don't think you are correct, but I don't have the figures either. I
fly first class fairly often though and my seat neighbor is almost
always another person flying on business. I only rarely encounter a
person flying on frequent flier miles, unless you are counting business
fliers who got an upgraded ticket. Even so, they still in some sense
paid for the privilege by flying a lot back in coach! :-)

Matt

"Matt Whiting" wrote

I don't think you are correct, but I don't have the figures either. I fly
first class fairly often though and my seat neighbor is almost always
another person flying on business.

Flying for business (in this case) does not count, because the flyer is not
paying for the ticket, or the difference between coach and first class.

So my thought stands. If you are _paying_ for tickets a 25% difference will
decide every time.
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:
"Matt Whiting" wrote
I don't think you are correct, but I don't have the figures either. I fly
first class fairly often though and my seat neighbor is almost always
another person flying on business.

Flying for business (in this case) does not count, because the flyer is not
paying for the ticket, or the difference between coach and first class.

So my thought stands. If you are _paying_ for tickets a 25% difference will
decide every time.

Airlines let business passengers fly in first class for free? No
kidding! I'd have never guessed that. I guess I'll fly first class on
every flight from now on and save my employer a bunch of money.

Matt

On Jul 29, 7:51 pm, Richard Riley wrote:
On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 18:48:30 -0700, Phil
wrote:



I think Boeing would be really smart to pursue this technology. It
will lead to airliners that are much more efficient than the current
layout. If Boeing doesn't do it, you can bet that Airbus or Embraer,
or eventually maybe even the Chinese aircraft manufacturers will.

And I think for the generation growing up today on video games and
computer screens, having a view screen instead of a window won't be a
hardship.

It's actually left over from Douglas.

One big reason it hasn't gone as passenger liner is what the people
outboard would experience (plus and minus Gs) as the plane banks.

It could be banked more slowly to mitigate that, especially if it had
fly-by-wire controls. And people experience those same feelings now
in turbulence anyway. I suspect that if you were to offer people a
more roomy plane with a lower ticket price, you would get lots of
takers. I hate flying stuffed in like a sardine in a can. A blended
body aircraft could have more room for passengers. Imagine if an
airline started flying an airplane with twice as much legroom, more
aisles, and wider seats. Maybe even seats that really recline. And
at a lower cost. Let's say 5 or 10 percent lower. I bet they would
fill those planes on most flights. Wouldn't you be willing to pay
less to get more?