Stack & Pack Air Travel

George Rebane

This morning’s WSJ report (here) on how airlines are making economy class air travel even less inviting jogged some memories of a new concept that I’ve discussed with my technology development buddies over the years.  Maybe now that the uncomfortable version of stack/pack seating has become de rigueur, it’s time to again consider a better way for the modern day.  But first some background.

When I was doing black studies work for the DoD in the 1970s as the Vietnam War was winding down, an Army research arm published some preliminary results in one of its R&D newsletters about a technique, first described more than ten years earlier (here), for anesthetizing the wounded in battlefield hospitals.  The method involved applying a low amperage, low frequency current through electrodes placed on the patient’s temples.  The report stated the obvious benefits of such a simple and presumably controllable ‘anesthetic’ that would quickly render the individual unconscious and keep him that way until the current was turned off.  

I got all excited about ancillary uses for such a technology both in military and civilian environments.  Without going into details here, it involved using the technology as a ‘time machine’ that would allow an individual to be perceptively, restfully, and safely ‘transported’ into the future.  I shared these ideas with my research colleagues, and we came up with a bunch of applications and product concepts.  And then the research program just up and disappeared from the follow-on literature.  In those days I had a company to run and no time to dig up what happened to this intriguing technology.  Over the years the topic has occasionally come up only at dinner parties preceded by some related item.

And then I saw the airline passenger packing article which immediately qued up (yes, yes, it should be spelled ‘queued’) the above story.  So here’s a concept outline for a new class of airline travel which I will name ‘Cocoon Class’ or CC.  Airplanes will be designed to have part of their passenger space configured to hold densely stacked cocoons each containing a passenger.  The passengers will be ‘anesthetized’ either chemically or electrically or both.  The anesthesia need not be the deep kind that patients undergoing serious surgery endure, but a milder form which, say, people having undergone colonoscopies or dental procedures understand.  Under such ministrations you feel that you are still awake but time seems to have passed very fast until you are fully awake again.

The passengers in CC class would be prepared in the boarding lounge by lying down in their open cocoons where one or more appropriate monitoring leads would be attached, after which they would be administered the anesthetic of a dosage sufficient for the duration of their trip.  Once under they would be wheeled aboard the aircraft and stowed.  The process would be reversed at their destination where they are fully awake as they exit their cocoons to go retrieve their luggage in the usual manner.

In flight the CC passengers would be monitored automatically with a medical technician available as a member of the cabin crew should the need arise to deepen the anesthesia or provide other needed attention for the passenger.  Rough calculations show that such a CC configuration would permit increasing the passenger count from 60% to 100%, potentially doubling the passenger capacities of today’s aircraft.

Admittedly this description has been nothing beyond a concept outline with many feasibility and design details to be worked out.  But given the direction of today’s air travel into what easily may soon violate the Geneva convention against cruel and unusual punishment, I submit that this concept is worthy of more serious investigation.  Should this idea work, I most certainly would opt for traveling in CC class to arrive at my destination rapidly and rested, ready for the next activity on my schedule.

Comments

[Bob Hobert]

George,

Cocoon Class exists right now on domestic flights. However, there's only one large cocoon, and the anesthetic is alcohol.

[George Rebane]

BobH 1130am - Agreed. This is only my meager effort to improve the service.

[Bill Tozer]

Dr. Rebane, you are ahead of the times. A bit premature. Your idea is perfect for space travel when we vacation on the moon or Jupiter or even go to Mars to get a tan. :)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dk01eeKMD_I

[George Rebane]

BillT 203pm - For space travel you are right of course Mr Tozer. However that use of the CC has long been pioneered in sci-fi movies (e.g. '2001'). I'm contending that my concept is ripe for today provided research shows that such electrical and/or chemical anesthetics are safe for use on airlines. If so, then it's a matter of running out some numbers and then doing the indicated systems design.

[Bill Tozer]

I defer to the rocket scientist. Read in the news yesterday that a guy I once got way too drunk with many moons ago got arrested in Dallas. We decided in the wee hours of the night what a great idea it would be to drive out in the desert and steal a Route 66 sign. Mission accomplished but the effort left bruises on both of us.

Anyway, the unnamed old bar buddy was arrested for voicing his opinion (opposition) to submitting to a TSA search. Guess ripping his shirt off and yelling something landed him a few hours in the clink.. Yes, this is on topic as you shall see.

Have you thought through whether the merry travelers would be placed in the Cacoon before or after a TSA scan? That question begs an answer to decide how much anesthetic needs to be on hand or how much voltage is needed in case my friend shows up. Odd, I would assume he is a frequent flier. Electric shock treatment may be in order. Booze apparently was either too much or not enough. Just pesky details to contemplate.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6vvnWMoogW8

[Gregory]

I've always called it Cattle Class. Mooo.

So, BT, JR is a past bar buddy? He didn't want to bend over and twerk like everyone else?

[Bill Tozer]

3:31 PM. Gregory. I guess. Haven't seen him since a year or so after Fast Times at RH.. Funny thing, he was a little hot tempered back then.....when I use to prank call him in the middle of the night. That was before caller ID and cell phones. He got me back though. Came home one night to do the nosedive on the bed and buried my head into a nice soft pillow sopping wet with goat piss. The rascal broke into my house and locked a goat in my bedroom. Seemed funny to him at the time. Come to think about it, my prank calls seemed funny to be at the time. Them days are now in the dustbin of history. :).

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=DWHHQ3Rz534

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vS7bpVsNQ9M

My apologies to Dr. Rebane and his readers. Off topic and out of here. Again, I am a lowly worm.

[Gregory]

Back to the CC proposal of GR... where the whole concept falls apart is emergency procedures... the CC would by necessity be a bitch to evacuate, especially if meds have been administered or each meat sack was wired in.

No f'ing way.

[George Rebane]

Gregory 424pm - very true. But there is a possibility of designing the cacoons so that they can withstand both acceleration, avoid smoke inhalation (leading cause of death from 'survivable' crashes), and become floating life preservers in a water landing. No claim that all the problems have yet to be solved, but I am far from "No f'ing way" on the concept.

[Gregory]

George, I think the technology you are waiting for is the carbon freezing made popular by Darth Vader after it worked on Han Solo. It will be awhile before it is commercialized, but once it is, expect travel packages from UPS and FedEx.

[Bill Tozer]

Geeze Gregory, can't you see Dr. Rebane has designed a time machine. It is so oblivious.

[Gregory]

I recall in one of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books was a space transport in an unfortunate loop... it had an automated crew and passengers in suspended animation for their long journey. Unfortunately, the ship was unable to depart due to a deficit in lemon soaked napkins, and civilization had collapsed around it. The automated crew had to wake up the passengers once a century for biological purposes before putting them back to sleep, convinced that civilization will return and there will be an eventual delivery of the napkins. Meaning the automated crew were convinced, the passengers were doing their best to escape for the short time they were conscious.

Here we go:
From somewhere on the flight deck a metallic voice addressed him.

``Passengers are not allowed on the flight deck. Please return to your seat, and wait for the ship to take off. Coffee and biscuits are being served. This is your autopilot speaking. Please return to your seat.''

Zaphod said nothing. He breathed hard, behind him, the hand continued to knock on the door.

``Please return to your seat,'' repeated the autopilot. ``Passengers are not allowed on the flight deck.''

``I'm not a passenger,'' panted Zaphod.

``Please return to your seat.''

``I am not a passenger!'' shouted Zaphod again.

``Please return to your seat.''

``I am not a ... hello, can you hear me?''

``Please return to your seat.''

You're the autopilot?`` said Zaphod.

``Yes,'' said the voice from the flight console.

``You're in charge of this ship?''

``Yes,'' said the voice again, ``there has been a delay. Passengers are to be kept temporarily in suspended animation, for their comfort and convenience. Coffee and biscuits are being served every year, after which passengers are returned to suspended animation for their continued comfort and convenience. Departure will take place when the flight stores are complete. We apologize for the delay.''

Zaphod moved away from the door, on which the pounding had now ceased. He approached the flight console.

``Delay?'' he cried, ``Have you seen the world outside this ship? It's a wasteland, a desert. Civilization's been and gone, man. There are no lemon-soaked paper napkins on the way from anywhere!''

``The statistical likelihood,'' continued the autopilot primly, ``is that other civilizations will arise. There will one day be lemon-soaked paper napkins. Till then there will be a short delay. Please return to your seat.''

``But ...''

[George Rebane]

Gregory 511pm - Well that's one way to open up a discussion of the concept.

[Gregory]

Please return to your seat.

[BradC]

:)

http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CzfB1jKXcAAjOlC.jpg:medium

[George Rebane]

BradC 747am - Given the nature of the federal "hen houses", that political cartoon explains why the people voted for Trump. Good catch.

But what does all this have to do with stack and pack??

[BradC]

Sorry, hit the wrong link - I was aiming for the Fallout post- need to check the elevation setting on my peep sight.