23/03/2018
This Is the Important Reason All Airplane Windows Are Round
Around the mid-twentieth century, commercial airlines started flying their planes at higher altitudes. This plan was ultimately a money-saving move, as lower air density means less drag on the plane, and less drag means less fuel is wasted. Flying in the upper atmosphere means a smoother ride, too.
To make planes suitable for flying at higher altitudes, airlines had to make some design changes. First, the plane cabin had to be pressurized so passengers could, well, breathe. Secondly, the plane had to be cylindrical in order to withstand the newly increased internal pressure. Voila! The perfect plane — or so you'd think. In the 1950s, three airplanes crashed when the fuselage was ripped to shreds because engineers overlooked one crucial design flaw: they used square windows.
