A sidewall assembly includes a window and a sidewall portion having an inner-facing side and at least partially surrounding the window. The sidewall assembly further includes a transparent display panel coupled to the sidewall portion covering the inner-facing side of the sidewall portion and the window. The sidewall assembly further includes a display controller operatively coupled with the transparent display panel. The sidewall assembly further includes a window shade movable between an open position to allow light to pass between the window and the transparent display panel and a closed position to obstruct light from passing between the window and the transparent display panel. The sidewall assembly further includes a blackout feature disposed between the window and the transparent display panel and a blackout control device configured to control the blackout feature to selectively obstruct light from passing between the window and the transparent display panel.

A system and method for sending signals at temperatures associated with hypersonic speeds. A window system in a hypersonic aircraft is provided. The window system comprises a transmissive window in an aeroshell of the hypersonic aircraft, a thermal seal, a sensor, and a sensor housing assembly enclosing the sensor. The transmissive window comprises a facesheet and insulating material adjacent to the facesheet. The thermal seal surrounds a perimeter of the facesheet and seals the facesheet to the aeroshell. The window system is radio-frequency transparent at temperatures associated with hypersonic speeds. The window system is configured to operate at an insertion loss of less than one decibel at the hypersonic speeds.

A vehicle with a vehicle frame and a windshield assembly that is mounted to the vehicle frame and closes an associated opening provided in the vehicle frame. The windshield assembly comprises at least one flexible element and at least one windshield. The at least one flexible element connects the at least one windshield to the vehicle frame for at least partially absorbing loads resulting from an impact on the at least one windshield. The at least one flexible element connects the at least one windshield to the vehicle frame such that the at least one windshield pivots relative to the vehicle frame by means of the at least one flexible element upon occurrence of an impact on the at least one windshield such that the at least one flexible element defines a hinge element.

An aircraft includes fuselage, a seat, and battery compartment. Fuselage extends along a longitudinal axis. Seat is configured to support a passenger. The battery compartment that includes a battery configured to provide power to propel the aircraft. The battery compartment, including the battery, is located laterally adjacent to the seat along the longitudinal axis.

A sidewall assembly for an aircraft and an aircraft are provided. In one example, the sidewall assembly includes a window. A sidewall portion has an inner-facing side and at least partially surrounds the window. The sidewall portion and the window have a curved contour. A transparent display panel is coupled to the sidewall portion and covers the inner-facing side of the sidewall portion including the window. The transparent display panel includes a display screen configured to display information to a passenger. The transparent display panel including the display screen have a curved contour that substantially matches the curved contour of the sidewall portion and the window. A display controller is in communication with the transparent display panel to communicate a video/audio signal providing the information to the display screen.

A porthole, a porthole plug in a vehicle, and an aircraft with portholes are provided. The porthole includes an opaque plug with an aperture therethrough.

A sidewall assembly for an aircraft and an aircraft are provided. In one example, the sidewall assembly includes a window. A sidewall portion has an inner-facing side and at least partially surrounds the window. A transparent display panel is coupled to the sidewall portion and covers the inner-facing side of the sidewall portion including the window. The transparent display panel includes a display screen configured to display information to a passenger. A display controller is in communication with the transparent display panel to communicate a video/audio signal providing the information to the display screen.

A window element for an aircraft comprises a window frame which has a frame reveal forming an opening, and a receptacle adjoining the frame reveal, an inner window pane which is configured to be inserted into the receptacle, a holding frame which is configured to be inserted into the receptacle and to fix the inner window pane in the receptacle, and a cover which has an opening and is configured to be attached to the window frame and to conceal the window frame around the frame reveal. An encircling inner edge of the cover that forms the opening of the cover lies radially substantially outside an encircling inner edge of the receptacle.

An aircraft includes fuselage, a seat, and battery compartment. Fuselage extends along a longitudinal axis. Seat is configured to support a passenger. The battery compartment that includes a battery configured to provide power to propel the aircraft. The battery compartment, including the battery, is located laterally adjacent to the seat along the longitudinal axis.

An optical window for a hypersonic vehicle includes a window substrate and an optical coating on the window substrate, with the coating including multiple alternating layers of different materials. The coating may have many layers, for example having five or more alternating bi-layers and may be configured to still perform its optical function with some of the layers removed, such as by ablation of some of the layers through exposure to hypersonic flow. The different materials of the different layers may have different properties, for example with one of the materials being more resistant to ablation and/or chemical reaction than another of the layers. Coatings for anti-reflection additionally include a region of graded optical index between the sequence of bi-layers and the substrate. The hypersonic vehicle may include an optical sensor which operates by receiving light through the optical window.