Passenger planes without windows could be a reality in the near future

The concept of a new windowless plane is set to take off and become reality in less than a decade.

Passengers will soon be able to surf the net, check their email and view the skies outside while travelling via aircraft.

In a sneak-preview of what the next generation of air travel would look like in almost 10 years, windows would be replaced by full-length smart screens which allow people to see outside whenever they wish.

This would be able to be switched on an off if desired.

The technology has been devised by the north-east company Centre for Process Innovation (CPI), which works with firms to create new products.

Plans show how large, hi-definition, ultra thin and lightweight displays could form the inside of the fuselage, displaying images of outside from cameras mounted on the plane’s exterior.

Not only this, the company is forming ideas of how to reduce the plane's weight, which would cut fuel consumption, thereby bringing down air fares.

According to bosses, for every 1 per cent reduction in the weight of an aircraft, there is a saving in fuel of 0.75 per cent.

The futuristic idea would involve panels mirroring whatever view of the outside that the passenger wanted, with it changing when they move their eyes.

CPI representative Dr Jon Helliwell said: "Follow the logical thought through. Let’s take all the windows out – that’s what they do in cargo aircraft – what are the passengers going to do?

"If you think about it, it’s only really the people that are sitting next to windows that will suffer.”

This would be created using organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), which is a combination of materials that give out their own light when activated by electricity.

Dr Helliwell added that the idea could become reality in 10 years, after other “building blocks” in the development of OLED are completed.

He said: “We are talking about it now because it matches the kind of development timelines that they have in the aerospace industry."