Why Are Airplane Windows Round

We are so used to many of the conventions of modern airplanes that we often don’t give them a second thought. That said, the moment someone stops to ask you “why do airplanes have round windows instead of square ones?” you start to wonder why you didn’t wonder that yourself.

In retrospect, it seems like such an obvious question to ask. Most of the other major structures in our lives have square windows, so why not airplanes? The answer has to do with engineering and the forces exerted upon planes in midair.

A Ton of Pressure
One of the most important things to realize right at the start is that airplanes are under a ton of pressure. While you probably already know that, you may not know just how much it is or how it can affect the plane.

Airplanes typically have a great deal of PSI. There is constant pressure placed upon every inch of the aircraft. This means that every aspect of the aircraft needs to be sustained against the forces which are going to act upon it once in the air.