New aviation ideas take flight at Art Center

Citation

(2001), "New aviation ideas take flight at Art Center", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 73 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aeat.2001.12773aab.022

New aviation ideas take flight at Art Center

New aviation ideas take flight at Art Center

Keywords: Art Center College of Design, Boeing, Teague, Aircraft, Design, Students

For hundreds of years, humans conjured up images of flying. People fantasized about soaring high above the earth and floating among the clouds. Unfortunately, today's air traveler is more worried about legroom and carry-on cargo space than breath-taking views and a stimulating flight experience.

It is a problem that has not gone unnoticed among aircraft engineers – and students at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. Instead of constructing airplanes with rows of closely crammed seats and small windows, it is possible to create a whole new generation of aircraft with bold new seating arrangements, oversized windows and observation decks, and lounges that serve as dining and social centers.

As part of a 13-week class sponsored by aerospace giant The Boeing Company and design firm Teague, students reengineered and reinvented today's commercial aircraft to take advantage of technology and new concepts about how to make flying an enjoyable and exciting experience. "The idea was to create aircraft that transcend the experience that is available today. Students combined research and imagination to explore how to make flying more functional, dynamic and exciting," said Art Center instructor Steve Montgomery.

Montgomery, along with Art Center instructors Mark Dillon and Gabriel Cadson, helped students develop concepts and build models from the wheels up. Representatives of Boeing and Teague provided professional expertise and assistance along the way. "Students displayed a freshness and openness of thought. They generated ideas that could actually be incorporated into passenger aircraft of the future", noted Alan J. Anderson, chief engineer, payloads, in the Commercial Airlines Group at Boeing.

It was explained that a total of five teams comprising of product, environmental and transportation design students developed an array of intriguing ideas: a jumbo jet that carries up to 400 passengers, but provides radically different seating from that existing today. The plane provides hanging seats that allow passengers to stand or prop themselves vertically for short-range flights, and adaptable seats that can be used in a communal passenger area or as sleeping berths on long-range flights. Using the modular seating and partitions, an airline could create in-air business centers, restaurants, coffee bars, lounges and entertainment areas. High-tech galleys and vending machines allow passengers to serve themselves, and large doors let groups of passengers board and exit a plane quickly. "The goal was to create a more flexible plane that could adapt to specific needs of today's traveler", Kohar Yegyayan, a seventh term product design student, told us.

The second project was described to us as a tri-level plane that takes on many of the characteristics of a cruise ship or a futuristic space ship. A rib-like internal structure provides unobstructed views of various sections, decks and compartments. Fold-out walls create instant cafés and meeting areas, while plasma displays built into clear partitions offer films, videos, Internet connectivity, and more. When switched off, the partitions look like ordinary glass. The design also provides functional improvements, including sinks outside lavatories in order to reduce lines, and clip-in storage to eliminate impractical overhead bins. We wanted to build an aircraft that wasn't predictable", explained Ichelle Spitzig, a fifth-term environmental design student. "We wanted to create an open and communal space and provide a way for passengers to circulate."

A series of planes that will revolutionize the way passengers experience flight was the description given to the third project. Instead of sitting in cramped cabins with small windows, travelers will be able to peer out of oversized windows and sit in scenic decks at the base of the tail in order to gain a full appreciation of clouds, geography and the overall environment. "These are planes that remind people how incredible it is to fly. They make you feel like a child in awe of something beautiful and special", explained Marc Brownlow, a seventh-term transportation design student. Added seventh-term transportation student Leslie Agcaoili: "Sitting in the upper deck of a 747 with a translucent dome completely alters the perception and experience of flying. It eliminates the barrier between the exterior environment and the interior environment."

Art Center students, we are informed, conducted meticulous research in order to fully understand how today's planes are made and why various features exist. Then, using interviews with pilots, flight attendants, aircraft engineers and others, they began exploring a variety of unconventional possibilities. Finally, they created elaborate presentations using storyboards, video and animation; and constructed scale models from an array of industrial materials, including plastic, wood and glass. The project concluded with a formal presentation to a group of Boeing, Teague and Art Center officials.

"We witnessed sparks of brilliance. The designs and ideas serve as inspiration for what is possible", Del King, president of Teague, told us. "The students started by learning the basics of aircraft design and eventually became highly knowledgeable authorities on the subject. By engaging in a realistic design experience, they are better able to succeed in the profession", added Art Center's Dillon.

Boeing and Teague are only two of several companies that sponsor educational projects at Art Center. Others include: Nokia, Johnson Controls, Mazda, Reebok, BMW, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Aprilia S.p.A., Huffy Sports, General Motors, Intel, Magna, PictureTel, Renault, Nike, Philips Design and Toyota. Student projects are not considered for actual production, though many of these companies hire Art Center graduates.

Details available from: Arts Center College of Design. Web site: www.artcenter.edu