I see that flying wings, or blended wing bodies, are back in fashion after the demise of the Sonic Cruiser (Flight International, 14-20 January).
There are two questions that never seem to be asked. Firstly, what effect will the motion have on those passengers who may well be 10m (33ft) or more from the centreline? A 30° roll will result in them being 5m higher or lower in a few seconds. The effect on their stomachs, coffee cups, loose articles as well as on service trolleys may well be severe, as will be the size of the compensation claims.
I also hope the designers remember to position the toilets on the centreline.
Then there is snow. How is it proposed to remove, say, half a metre of snow, from an area approaching that of a football pitch? Shovels or high-power brushes would be potentially disastrous for the structure, and the quantity of de-icing fluid required would probably be classed as an environmental disaster. Have airport equipment manufacturers and authorities been invited to consider the problem and the huge investment required?
P Gambardella Farnborough, UK
Source: Flight International
