Hey guys! I have this new idea spinning around in my head. It's about 'A garden on an airplane'. What do you think? Is it doable, like physically and legally? If so, what type of plane is most suitable? What plants could survive in that environment, and how do you manage the soil, water, etc. I'd like to hear your opinion on this, all suggestions are welcome, thank you for reading.
If you mean inside a plane its certainly possible - you need to factor in the weight of the soil/water etc and provide daylight lighting, regular watering etc. If you mean outside the plane that aint possible the temperature at altitiude would kill your plants even if they werent sucked off by the slipstream
Thanks, Moose! Yes, I do mean inside the plane. I haven't thought of the lighting yet, that's good to know! I imagine the rattle of the plane would cause some trouble for my plants, so some sort of container is probably required, but I also want them to be as natural as possible. Maybe I should ask a gardener?
Hydroponics in a closed loop pumping system, full spectrum LED lighting, and a wire mesh restraining system could solve your problems I think.
I just google it and it looks like a possible way to go about it. I wonder if I could make them looked less like an interior design kinda thingy and more like a living garden, or probably a balance between them. Thanks for this tip!
A catch drain for spilled water with a reservoir and recirculation pump into main lines would also be necessary. Sorry, forgot about that part.
Thanks. I think I could grow some cactus plants to try to avoid the water requirements, but that might not be a good idea on an airplane. On the other hand, that gives me some other good ideas, so YAY!
Is that like the Hindenburg? It really has to be a fast modern airplane for the idea though, thanks anyway!
Or how high? I would think that the biggest obstacle to a hydroponic setup would be finding plants that like to grow at around ten thousand feet above sea level, which is (IIRC) the atmospheric pressure that most pressurized airplanes are adjusted to. Of course, the plane could be pressurized more, to about five thousand feet, which would allow you to grow more.
s Hi, Naomasa, sorry for the late response, I fell asleep. I think it would be like 500-650mph, just the usual commercial flight speed or some private jets there's out there.
I see. Modern airships go around 160 mph, so I suppose that won't work. The double decker A380 would have enough lifting capacity and space for a garden. Its cabin pressure is equivalent to the atmosphere at 6000 feet. You need to factor in the presence of any flammable or potentially explosive materials, such as nitrates (fertilisers).
Oh, thanks for this! I just realized how little I know about airplanes and how they work. I'd thought most plants would be okay because we humans seemed to manage the pressure, a quick search gives me some insight on this. So the pressure would be like 6000 to 8000 feet altitude, I found that root vegetables are some common choices at that sea level, but I think I could make the interior of the planes more plant-friendly than in nature(like warmer, more light), because I'd much prefer to grow some beautiful blooms inside it or even a small tree if possible .
You also need to be aware that the atmosphere inside a plane is very dry. The reason for that is very simple - humidity causes rust, and the atmosphere in a greenhouse type environment, especially one that employs hydroponics, is going to be pretty humid.
Atmospherically box the greenhouse hydroponics system? Dehumidifiers for circulation out and humidifiers for circulation in?
Watching some youtube videos about A380 right now, it looks big enough for the task. The safety of the plane it's definitely an important subject, I will keep this in mind. Also, what do you think about the law against this type of modifying in different countries? I mean I'd like to think this plane could actually fly around the world, thanks.
I'm not an aerospace engineer, I couldn't comment on how well that would work. I imagine corrosion in the wiring and electronics would still be an issue even with very good insulation. Having said that, Emirates has showers on board their A380s, so I guess it must be possible, at least on a small scale.
Maybe if there is a chambered airlock. BSLs are hard to install, but fairly well sealed. Maybe if the plane was designed around the airlock system.
Yes for these. I need lots of potential problems with this task, it would really help with the plotting and more, you guys are so helpful!
So I found out some newest-generation planes would actively humidify the air in the cabin, but then they need to install active drying systems in the other areas of the planes. It's kinda tricky problem, I'd keep looking into this, thanks.
An issue here is why fly the garden in the aircraft, when the duration of the flight is just ten or so hours. If this is science fiction, consider a nuclear powered aircraft, capable of remaining aloft for days to weeks. The garden would also provide a convenient disposal for the toilets, which are a limiting factor in flight beyond a day or two.
Hi, Lew! I'm thinking the MC is a billionaire try to save his relationship kinda situation, and for some reasons he can't just hire someone to do this for him. The details are unclear yet, I'm still at the brainstorming stage, but the movie About A Boy comes to mind sometimes.
Maybe it's a long distance relationship? Or maybe one of them need to fly a lot. It doesn't necessarily need to be fast though, he could be forced to live on that plane or else something bad would happen(or so he thinks). Also, I think the idea would be more interesting if it's a plane, or is it just me?
