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Coming in 2018: the largest plane window of all time

The Skyview Panoramic will offer unrivalled views from 35,000 feet
The Skyview Panoramic will offer unrivalled views from 35,000 feet

The largest window on any passenger aircraft, measuring a whopping 4.5 feet x 1.5 feet, will be unveiled next year.

The Skyview Panoramic, developed for Boeing by aerospace firm Fokker Technologies, will offer unrivalled views from 35,000 feet. But not everyone will get the chance to enjoy the vistas – plans are only in place to install them on corporate planes.

The giant window from the outside
The giant window from the outside

Following a 2018 launch, all new Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), BBJ2 and BBJ Max aircraft will include the giant apertures, which can sit in multiple locations to the aft of the wing. They may also be added to Boeing’s existing corporate aircraft at the request of owners.

Fokker first proposed the Skyview Panoramic several years ago but had been waiting for FAA and EASA approval.

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"We are proud to announce the next step for the Skyview Panoramic window together with Boeing Business Jets," said Peter Somers, President of GKN's Fokker Services business. "The innovative technology applied in the largest window in the market, enhances passenger comfort and is now also available for BBJ MAX airplanes."

One of the most notable features of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which launched in 2009, is its larger windows. But at just 1.5 feet in length they pale in comparison to the Skyview Panoramic.

The Dreamliner's windows pale in comparison - Credit: © 2014 Bloomberg Finance LP/Bloomberg
The Dreamliner's windows pale in comparison Credit: © 2014 Bloomberg Finance LP/Bloomberg

The world’s private jets are already packed with lavish features - even without this latest addition. Speaking to Telegraph Travel, photographer Nick Gleis, who has snapped inside more than 800 such aircraft, said he had seen everything from a domed ceiling that changed colour to simulate dawn, day, dusk and night (including star constellations) to a “living wall” of plants. 

Private jets are hardly short of luxury features
Private jets are hardly short of luxury features

For a glimpse of the plane cabins of the future, it’s hard to beat the annual Aircraft Interior Expo. This year’s event takes place in Hamburg from April 4, but a shortlist of award nominees has already been released.

As with the Skyview Panoramic, it’s the wealthiest travellers that look set to benefit. Highlights include the first business-class cabin to feature a sliding door for each passenger, courtesy of Delta Air Lines, and the first underfloor heating system for a private jet, the work of Austria’s F.List GmbH.

The Delta One Suite
The Delta One Suite

US-based Kestrel Aviation Management, meanwhile, has been praised by Expo judges for its Dreamjet concept, which sees the 787 Dreamliner (which ordinarily carries between 240 and 335 passengers) turned into a 40-passenger plane so spacious it resembles an airborne penthouse apartment. It features an entertainment and study lounge, dedicated dining spaces, and en-suite master bedroom, and is finished with hardwood floors and hand-tufted carpets.

The Dreamjet
The Dreamjet