Billionaire Richard Branson wants to revive supersonic passenger travel with a jet that can fly faster than the Concorde – all for less than the price of a business class flight. Here are the first pictures of the design prototype.
Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic on Tuesday flagged the return of the fastest transatlantic flights since the Concorde was retired 13 years ago, according to «The Guardian».
The project promises to bring passengers from London to New York in three and a half hours – for $5,000, return fare.
The supersonic «Boom» jet is being designed by an Denver-based engineering startup and financed by Virgin Galactic’s manufacturing unit, the Spaceship Company. Virgin secured the first ten airframes in return.
Test Flights Next Year
Boom founder Blake Scholl unveiled the first images of the prototype, in a hangar in Denver (pictured below).
He isn’t the only manufacturer to be working on supersonic aircraft: industry giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin are working on their own projects. However, Scholl is convinced that he can be faster than the larger rivals because he doesn't need regulatory approval for new technology.
Initial test flights are scheduled for the end of next year. The first commercial flights are planned for 2023, which marks the 20th anniversary of the Concorde’s retirement.
Supersonic Travel for $100?
The jet is designed to reach 18,000 meters flight altitude and Mach 2.2 speed – or 2,700 kilometers per hour. Los Angeles to Sydney could be flown in six hours.
The jet will only be able to seat 50 people, in two rows, so that passengers have a window and an aisle seat at the same time (pictured below).
While the Concorde was famously loss-making, Scholl is convinced that his model will be profitable. Concorde’s designers didn’t have lighter material and technology now available for supersonic aircraft, he said.
He estimates the market potential for this type of travel at more than $100 billion, but he also wants to lower the passenger cost: “This is supersonic passenger air travel, no bullshit, and it’s actually affordable,» he said.
“Ultimately I want people to be able to get anywhere in the world in five hours for $100.»
