Traveling could see a dramatic change very soon with the advancement of supersonic jets. While the British plane, the Concorde (seen above) hasn’t made a transatlantic flight in over a decade, companies are now focusing a decent amount of research and development on supersonic aircrafts. The supersonic planes have the ability to travel at double the speed of current commercial airplanes and would alter the flight industry in a fantastic way. While the planes are planned to first hit the private and business sectors, people could soon witness the inclusion of supersonic traveling all around the world.
Currently, two companies have been pouring money into the development of these new planes. Aerion, the Nevada based company has put $110 million into a 12 passenger supersonic jet that is able to hit a Mach 1.6 speed, which translates to being speeds of 1,200 miles per hour. The current major commercial airline can travel from New York to London in seven hours, but this new vehicle designed by Aerion would be able to accomplish the same trip in slightly over four hours.
Apparently well paying business people are calling for faster jets to hit the market and are willing to put out the money to make it happen. Technology has allowed us to boost the speed and productivity of other vehicles, so it only makes sense that the next step is to find a faster way of air travel. Aerion is teaming up with Airbus, which is the company that created the Concorde, in hopes that they can combine their time and resources to produce a new plane by 2022. Aerospace, a company based out of the Boston area, is also working on a supersonic plane that would hit the same speeds and accomplish faster travel times.
Supersonic travel has its setbacks, but is something possible to accomplish. The main problem is that when breaking the sonic barrier, the sound of a sonic boom resembles a loud thunder clap that will last as long as the plane is traveling faster than the speed of sound. This would arguably cause an uncomfortable ride for passengers, and until this problem can be solved, supersonic flight probably won’t happen. Faster traveling times would change the world in a good way and make flying and traveling both more feasible for a lot of people, so hopefully one of these companies finds success in the next decade.
Photo by Sion Touhig/Getty Images
