Windows on an aircraft are a bit of an oxymoron. They exist for passenger comfort rather than function, allowing light to enter the cabin but decreasing the aerodynamics of the fuselage—what a drag. They weaken the structural integrity of the aircraft as well as add weight, slowing down the plane. Cue the first private supersonic jet—dubbed the S-512. The sonic boomer is under development by ex-Gulfstream, Eclipse, and Airbus engineers who formed the start-up Spike Aerospace. The jet will cruise at speeds of Mach 1.6 with a top speed of Mach 1.8, over fifty percent faster than the globe’s fastest business jet, the Mach .875 Gulfstream G650. The 131-foot-long plane will accommodate 18 passengers. So this thing is fast and costs $80 million, but weren’t we talking about windows? Oh yes, that reminds me—this jet does lacks them. Instead of windows, the S-512 utilizes curved, real-time panoramic video screens to stream sky-high surroundings inside the cabin. Micro-cameras outfit the exterior of the jet to capture the surroundings at the speed of sound. The displays can be dimmed or turned off, and we predict they may be used for a multitude of in-flight purposes such as movies, customized global views, or even advertisement. According to Gizmodo, Royal Carribean outfitted its windowless rooms with HD screens to mimic a real balcony. We dare say this could become a luxury trend. We see enough screens on a day-to-day basis; why not make them all encompassing? Look out for this jet to hit the skies come 2018. Until then, satisfy your speed cravings with one of our exotic and luxury car rentals.

-Evan W.