NEXT-GEN DEONCOR
IS THE FUTURE OF PASSENGER JETS SUPERSONIC ONCE AGAIN?
Words by Scott Dutfield
DID YOU KNOW? NASA’s X-43A scramjet holds the speed record for a jet-powered a ircraft, at 7,000 miles per hour
At the moment the future of international flight is unclear, with travel at its lowest during the ongoing global pandemic.
However, planes will inevitably reclaim the skies once the world gets to grips with the coronavirus, and aerospace companies such as Boom Supersonic are ready and waiting with the next generation of supersonic aircraft.
Supersonic flight isn’t a novel concept; it’s commonly found in militaries around the world. However, commercial flights remain subsonic, except for Concorde’s short time in the sky. Boom Supersonic is hoping to change that with its faster-th an-sound successor, Overture, a commercial jet that can reach speeds over double the speed of sound at Mach 2.2. This would mean that a trip from Los Angeles to Sydney would take only eight-and-a-half hours as opposed to the typical 15-and-a-half hours.
The next-generation aircraft will be a 65 to 88 seater Concorde-style carrier which can cruise at altitude s of around 18,200 metres – current commercial planes typically cruise at heights of between 10,000 and 12,800 metres.