Really, a prototype airplane, the first of this size ever built with this novel propulsion system, had engineers involved in the design?
replyYou've missed the point. The engineers went too far optimizing for weight, to the point of sacrificing usability.
replyIt’s a prototype. Surely easy access to the structure and equipment is a lot more valuable than nice seats and a finished-looking interior surface.
replyThe company that makes the airplane is not normally the company that installs the interior anyways. The airline that buys the plane typically determines what the interior will look like (stuff like ratio of business to economy, overall # of seats, in flight entertainment, etc)
replyIt being barebones from the factory is not a problem.
What does "usability" mean in the context of a prototype short haul passenger aircraft? It's got seats for people to sit in...
replyThe competition in this market segment doesn't look like Middle Eastern airlines' first class cabin concept art, it looks like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saab_340#/media/File:Mesaba_Ai...
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But maybe they’re aiming at short haul cargo. And either way, wouldn’t that really be one of the last things to do? Just proving the plane can even get in the air and stay there for a useful distance on electricity is more important than how comfortable it is.
replyThe video shows dozens of seats, so they are not only aiming for short haul cargo.
replyAnd, unsurprisingly, the video also includes speaking where the head of the company says that.
replycustomers buy furniture options when they order the plane.
replyrelated : many flight demonstrators in the past for large passenger planes have had no interior at all aside from the cockpit and ballast kits.