New supersonic jet in development phase

The new Aerion Supersonic Jet is said to have a top speed of mach 1.6, and its promoters are asserting that it will transform the conduct of international business. Its designers admit that the aircraft doesn’t have the same style or grace of the Concorde, however.

It is anticipated that test flights will be run in 2012 and executives at the US-based company, Aerion, are saying that they have 50 parties interested in the new aircraft, all having paid a £150,000 deposit.

Aerion spokesman, Jeff Miller, said: “Flight times in general will be reduced about 40 percent. Business and government leaders will be able to travel more in pursuit of opportunity. And they will feel a lot better when they step off the aeroplane.”

The price of the aircraft is projected at £47.5 million, and Miller says that operating costs per nautical mile will be around the same as for a Boeing 747.

In 1976 the Concorde came onto the scene, initiating service that continued for 27 years. Twenty of the aircraft were built, costing £23 million each. The jet provided the fastest transatlantic passenger travel available.

In 2003 both Air France and British Airways announced they were retiring the Concorde later that year, citing decreased passenger demand following the crash in 2000 crash and the September 11 attacks – as well as increasing maintenance costs.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

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