This Insane Supersonic Jet Could Fly From London To NY In Only 1 Hour
Airbus filed a patent for a supersonic jet that can fly from London to New York in just one hour.
Yes, 60 minutes.
According to The Telegraph, the proposal was recently approved by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and it states the plane will use three types of engines to fly on the edge of space and reach speeds of over 2,500 mph -- more than four times the speed of sound.
Its extreme altitude would also reduce the sonic booms the Concorde makes when it takes trips over land.
The patent explains how the plane will begin a vertical take off with "at least one" turbo jet that retracts into the fuselage as the plane approaches the speed of sound.
A rocket motor powered by hydrogen and oxygen will then help carry the plane to an altitude of approximately 100,000 feet, a much higher altitude than a conventional aircraft can reach, The Telegraph reports.
After the "vehicle ascends at a steep gradient," one or more ramjets mounted on the wings would bring the plane to its top cruising speed.
The majority of the trip is made along the border between sky and space, but the plane will lower to a traditional altitude as it reaches its destination.
In the patent, Airbus claims the plane will take three hours to go from Tokyo to Los Angeles.
Its hour-long trip from London to New York is a massive upgrade from the Mach 2 Concorde's three-and-a-half-hour flight time for the same trip.
Concorde's supersonic speed triggers sonic booms when the sound barrier is broken, creating so much noise, numerous countries actually banned the aircraft from flying over their territories. Airbus' patent, however, says its plane's altitude and positioning will limit sonic booms by giving supersonic shock waves more time to vanish into the sky before touching the ground.
The plane holds just 20 passengers, and the majority are predicted to be "business travel and VIP passengers who require transcontinental return journeys within one day."
For the military, the patent states,
[It could provide] strategic reconnaissance, ultra-rapid transport of high added-value goods, and also equipped elite commandos.
The first Concorde was not considered a commercial success after earning profits of roughly $780 million in 27 years, so hopefully, financial gains will be higher for the new model.
Citations: Concorde Mark 2 Airbus files plans for new supersonic jet (The Telegraph), London to New York in just ONE HOUR Airbus files patent for a hypersonic jet more than double the speed of Concorde (Daily Mail)
