So I just did my own research and calculations, and given that a Boeing 747 weighs approximately 368 tons, the amount of pure-zero air displacement (as afforded by a vacuum) necessary to reach a weight of zero would be an astonishing 9.21 mil cu ft. The goal doesn't have to be zero, however, but rather just a significant reduction in weight overall. Still, given that total weight, it seems unlikely that any implementation of vacuum technology in commercial aircraft would be able to make a noticeable impact without a significant redesign, likely eschewing all currently-used materials, such as steel, in favor of much lighter materials. Perhaps we will be at a place in the future where carbon nanotubes or some yet undiscovered material is able to bridge the gap between thought experiment and reality with regard to the feasibility of such a technology.
Would a vacuum float in air? (Follow-up)
So I just did my own research and calculations, and given that a Boeing 747 weighs approximately 368 tons, the amount of pure-zero air displacement (as afforded by a vacuum) necessary to reach a weight of zero would be an astonishing 9.21 mil cu ft. The goal doesn't have to be zero, however, but rather just a significant reduction in weight overall. Still, given that total weight, it seems unlikely that any implementation of vacuum technology in commercial aircraft would be able to make a noticeable impact without a significant redesign, likely eschewing all currently-used materials, such as steel, in favor of much lighter materials. Perhaps we will be at a place in the future where carbon nanotubes or some yet undiscovered material is able to bridge the gap between thought experiment and reality with regard to the feasibility of such a technology.