Anybody ever heard of a movie theater on an airplane?

A bunch of aircraft still have CRT projectors that date back to 1984-1986, simply (apparently) because there's sooo much involved to get a different projector and mount approved in its place. Also, with the short throw if CRT, it might be tough finding a digital with that same throw.

But, with all of the private jets around, I agree, hasn't any millionaire put in a small 5-6 seat theater?

If the CRTs were to be replaced, it would be with seat back LCDs, not a replacement projection device. Now, doing that requires new certification of the aircraft, its manuals, operations manuals ... and, on and on and on...by the FAA. Much easier process if that make/model/type has been previously certified for that equipment. In any case, that change will not occur until airframe overhaul time. In today's economic climate, an aircraft that old is likely to be retired in favor of something with lower operating costs.

In commercial airlines that still have CRT and LCD projectors, they run at 115 volts but the frequency is 400Hz instead of the household electricity which is 60Hz. They do this so they can run miles of wires without the weight penalty. That is another reason these projectors are custom equipment.
Just my 2 cents.

Gulfstreams are tiny, look for custom outfitted Boeing 737/747 and Airbusses, that cater to the high-end of the private jet market.

Nope, just holographic projection: http://www.gadling.com/2009/06/09/th...ce-not-includ/.

And a nice 'panoramic bottom': 'the well being room has a floor made from a giant screen, showing what the plane is flying over'.

FAA...what's that???

Foolish Aircraft Accoutrirments Administration. OK OK.

Federal Aviation Administration.

main reason for the 400 hz is aircraft generators, motors and compressors can be much lighter: they run them at much higher RPMs (so fast most are screamers)

400hz motors have very little starting torque and are very expensive

These days for a custom application it is easier to use an inverter to derive 60 hz from the 400 hz aircraft power

Passenger57 and United93 would be a experience to watch on a airplane.

More my speed

http://books.google.com/books?id=Xyg...age&q=&f=false

As Mark correctly stated the 400hz means smaller motors, generators and transformers. Just about all electronics today including those old 1980s projectors had switch mode power supplies so they would not care about the power source frequency.

400hz actually allows less wire length than 60hz because the reactance of the wire becomes more significant as the frequency rises. But at the length of even a 747, it's still not significant enough to be an issue.

Yeah I'm a pilot for a regional airline right now, I know that all the larger turbine aircraft can produce enough power to run most things a guy could want. Even if it is through inverters. I try to keep up on advancements in cabin entertainment. I haven't seen any front projectors installed in ages. I do agree, it sure would be cool on a long haul flight. Lately its been small LCD's and some larger LCD tv's installed in corporate aircraft. It seems like the the airlines are moving towards small screens and internet accessibility on their larger aircraft. Mr. Erskine I know flies too and he hit on the head when he brought up the associated cost. Any permanently installed equipment must go through an FAA process to be added to an aircraft equipment list, and those certification requirements for everything from reliability to fire retardation keep getting tougher and tougher. I haven't the foggiest where you would even go to learn how you'd get say a particular piece approved now other than a call to the right people at the FAA. Not to mention when it breaks or even needs a bulb replaced, that work has to be signed off by an A&P mechanic or it has to be placarded inoperative and notes made in the logs. That makes me wonder if you could even get a projector with a UHP bulb or xenon bulb approved considering the heat buildup, perceived fire risk and ventilation (granted I believe a plane is maybe the most fire retardant/protected place to hang a projector). But yeah if you have enough money for your own 737 or 787 I'm sure you can ram whatever equipment you want onboard through the process, even then when dealing with the FAA for approvals, you'd have to be patient. Yeesh. I'll put the theater in the yacht instead.

This is where one would find the requirements for getting equipment certified for the airframe. Whether it is Gulfstream, Bombardier, or Boeing, the manufacturer, or the company building an aircraft interior for individual customers, would know how to do the certification process, I would certainly think. I have not been in the aircraft maintenance business since 1981, but my recollection was every Gulfstream had a custom built interior, so they would know where to go. Not sure Boeing even sells aircraft one at a time, or at least one with an interior installed. All that said sure makes sense that if one could buy their own 757 the expense of a theater system would be pocket change; and getting the equipment approved would be the biggest problem, but if one started when they ordered the aircraft they could probably get approval by the time they were installing the interior. Sounds like a fun question. Has anyone e-mailed (insert your favorite billionaire)?

TITLE 14--AERONAUTICS AND SPACE,
CHAPTER I--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION,
PART 21_CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR PRODUCTS AND PARTS--Table of
Contents, Special Federal Aviation Regulation No. 88

The custom aircraft modification business is a pretty lucrative one, and for anyone willing to pay enough money, the sky is the limit for what you want incorporated into your plane. There's a special that runs on TLC or Discovery about custom jet interiors - the companies that do this take the requests from the customer and find a way to make it happen within the rigorous FAA certification process mentioned above. A theater certainly wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility, and I have to imagine that the hardest part of the whole project would be to soundproof that particular portion of the cabin to the point where external noise really wouldn't interfere with the soundtrack.

Here's one company that specializes in custom aircraft cabins:

http://www.aircabin.com/

And here's a couple articles that installing custom A/V systems in various aircraft:

http://www.spiegel.de/international/...457692,00.html
http://www.aviationtoday.com/av/issu...ins_30733.html

I'm not surprised when I read about uber rich royalty from the middle east ordering custom A380s with custom interiors - countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE have unfathomable quantities of money at their disposal for toys like this.

I would say if anyone has a theater in his plane it would be John travolta. As I'm sure you all know he is an avid pilot. with at least two jets.

Yea, that's who I meant - anyone e-mailed him? That nickname pretty much dates me, I think they called him that after Welcome Back Kotter or Saturday Night Fever.

Good point though, he could fly the jet and entertain his guests at the same time.