Supersonic Jets Future Aviation Experieance
This is something that many globe travelers recognize: the beauty, danger, connection, and general adventure that travel entails.
What if we said that the whole essence of airline travel is on the verge of a revolution? It certainly is with the once-heralded notion of supersonic flight.
What is Supersonic Aviation?
Supersonic transport succeeds in defying physical laws. Vehicles operating at supersonic speeds can go faster than the speed of sound. And sound travels quickly—at over 768 miles per hour, or at Mach 1 speed.
Do you know what a sonic boom is? It’s the loud, thunderous “POP” that occurs as a supersonic aircraft rips through the air.
When a supersonic aircraft pushes through the layers of oxygen, the air particles are split and reassembled so quickly that the force generates a shock wave.
The same process occurs in the incident above, similar to the front of a boat cutting the waves ahead of it with force, where the waves begin to spread outward with a ripple effect then clasp together behind the boat.
When the shock wave’s pressure is released, a loud, window-rattling sonic boom may be heard for many kilometers.
Tech hub is also defied by supersonic flight. Beginning in 1969, the celebrated “Concorde” supersonic jet astounded millions of customers by flying passengers from London to New York in less than 3.5 hours.
The revolutionary new Concorde was capable of flying at double the speed of sound. As you would expect, the ability to fly an airplane faster than time zones could catch up with you was a near-impossible achievement.
Long-distance airline travel would be transformed from a terrifying experience to a revolutionary resurrection in an instant, as the ability to land an aircraft early to the intended departure time was where the future met the now, very literally.
Although this game-changing breakthrough stunned the aviation industry and the public at large, there were still aspects of this new luxury technology that needed to be improved.
The Concorde made its final flight in 2003, due to a number of concerns including significantly breached noise rules, increased operating expenses, declining ticket sales, and a catastrophic jet disaster in 2000.
While the Concorde once stood as a symbol of speed and elegance, it would eventually meet its demise.
Boom Launches the Overture
Nearly two decades later, the aviation industry is once again being rattled by a new and enhanced version of supersonic technology.
With their clever aircraft Overture, the aircraft manufacturing business Boom Supersonic is recreating the aspirations and ambitions of the popular supersonic Concorde.
They just announced their excellent design for the expected aircraft, and Boom wants to continue improving the technique in the next years, with plans to execute their first production launch in 2024.
The business intends to launch its first passenger trip in 2026.
Everything is pretty thrilling. However, many people have reservations about supersonic flight following what happened over 20 years ago, no pun intended.
Travelers must have their concerns addressed before they can trust supersonic flight again. Boom, fortunately, has been working on this concept for some years.
Kathy Savitt, President and Chief Business Officer of Boom Supersonic, stated, “we had to really take the time to learn, iterate, and walk our walk,” demonstrating that the firm is serious about its effort.
There are a few aspects of this aircraft that leave jetsetters in mute amazement at what the industry has in store.
For starters, the Overture supersonic jet can move at Mach 1.7, which is much faster than the speed of sound.
The aircraft’s huge gull wings, which limit the supersonic noise impact while optimizing fuel consumption, have helped to overcome the previously broken noise rules.
Other technical characteristics addressed in this design include a modified delta planform for safety and efficiency, as well as a streamlined stabilizing tail for increased balance and performance.
The plane will have a range of 4,250 nautical miles and seating for 65 to 80 people.
Aside from the remarkable technological aspects of this airplane, the crew has gone above and beyond to make this design safe and sustainable.
Boom’s 2021 Environmental Sustainability Report explains the company’s “holistic approach to environmental well-being and commitment to a scalable & sustainable future for travel.”
This is made possible in part by the use of carbon composite materials and 100% SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel).
How Does This Impact the World of Aviation?
This groundbreaking new concept has the potential to completely transform the aviation sector.
Following the global pandemic, people are looking for a more relaxed travel experience, which might be just what the aviation sector needs to boost ticket sales, stimulate more global interchange, and impact global economic growth.
Travelers can spend more time enjoying their destination if they spend less time on the plane.
If the goal of supersonic aviation is to forever change people’s travel experiences, Boom’s technology transforms international travel from a stressful process to an invigorating flying experience and rapid arrival, allowing passengers to focus on the overall success of their venture.
“Ultimately, we would like to drive a paradigm shift in which supersonic travel becomes the norm.”
More than 600 global routes for the manufacturer’s supersonic aircrafts have already been planned, and it is only a matter of time until the groundbreaking design makes its way into the private aviation industry as well.
Boom claims that they have already received 70 orders for the brand’s supersonic planes from prestigious commercial carriers such as United, American, and Japan Airlines.
Several notable firms, including Collins Aerospace, the United States Air Force, Rolls Royce, American Express, and others, have expressed interest in collaborating with the cutting-edge aircraft.
These significant collaborations anticipate that supersonic flying will become people’s preferred option of travel over the next 10-15 years. Many, however, fail to grasp that the enormous growth of private aircraft following the epidemic is simply increasing the need for supersonic travel.
According to Argus Traqpak, the private aviation industry has experienced extraordinary growth in recent years, with flight activity in 2022 predicted to be 15-20 percent higher than in the pre-COVID year of 2019.
According to Flexjet, “through the first seven months of 2022, Flexjet’s flight activity was up 30 percent over 2021, which was its busiest year on record.”
Private flights for both personal and business travel have surged dramatically since the pandemic’s conclusion.
According to a recent poll on private jet card comparisons, 53 percent of respondents who began traveling privately during the epidemic want to continue utilizing private air travel on a regular basis.
Furthermore, according to Airbus Corporate Jets, there were slightly more than two million business aircraft departures in the United States during the first six months of 2022, which was nearly 15% greater than the same period in 2019, prior to the pandemic.
This shows that it is likely only a matter of time until the world of supersonic travel and the private aviation industry become one.
Perhaps this is only the beginning of where revolution meets reality, once again.
