The race to resume supersonic passenger flights nearly two decades after Concorde’s retirement was sparked by a flash of excitement on Monday when aircraft maker Bombardier unveiled high-speed achievements as it confirmed the launch of its new business jet.
The Canadian company said that in the process of development Global 8000 will be “the fastest and longest range, specially built business jet.”
With a capacity of up to 19 passengers, a range of 8,000 nautical miles (14,800 kilometers) and a top speed of Mach 0.94, the upcoming aircraft is expected to enter service in 2025, according to a statement from Bombardier.
The news comes after a test vehicle Global 7500 broke the sound barrier during a demonstration flight last May, reaching speeds above Mach 1,015.
Supersonic breakthrough
Accompanied by a NASA F / A-18 fighter jet, it also became the first transport category aircraft to fly supersonic with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as a result of the flight, Bombardier said.
“The Global 8000 takes advantage of the exceptional qualities of the Global 7500, providing our customers with a flagship of a new era,” said Eric Martel, president and CEO of Bombardier, in a statement issued Monday.
Flight tests for the Global 8000 have already begun on Global 7500 flight test vehicles. Bombardier says the upcoming aircraft will also have a cabin height equivalent to 2,900 feet.
New era
The Global 8000 is just one of many developments in numerous efforts to increase the speed of passenger aircraft more than two decades after Concorde’s retirement.
Last year, United Airlines announced that it could offer supersonic routes as early as 2029, after concluding a deal to purchase 15 supersonic aircraft.
Meanwhile, Colorado-based Boom Supersonic is completing ground tests of the X-B1, a prototype aircraft for its Overture jet designed to accommodate between 65 and 88 people, which aims to fly more than 500 mostly overseas routes that will benefit from aircraft Mach-2.2 speed.
Unfortunately, Florida-based airline Aerion collapsed months after it unveiled plans last year for a 4+ Mach commercial airliner called the Aerion AS3.
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