Aerion Supersonic Bizjet - still trying.

Considering that the next-generation stealth bomber will be built in Melbourne, the place is getting quite a reputation as a site for high-tech aeronautical design!

 

What are they planning for the fuselage, composite or alloy?

 

Big article in the current issue of Aviation Week on this bird.

 

Reminds me of a B-58 (one of my favorites). Next they'll have to add a big belly pod to carry fuel so it can actually make it across the water.

Area ruling does result in pretty shapes.

 

Area rule squeezes PAX count...if that matters on this one.

 

yes, and cabins for this type of plane are already small (e.g. Concord). The rendering appears to show the cabin is mostly fwd of the region where area ruling occurs.

 

Looks like she will be a billionaire's toy if they pull it off. They have lots of high end partners, so entirely possible. Bad timing, though.

 

Aerion is partnered with Boeing. (After playing 'musical chairs' with others... Airbus... Lockheed Martin...)

Biofuel engines. No burners (reheat) at all.

All Pax are ahead of the engines.

Length of plane is to help mitigate the 'boom'.

 

Don't really think the crashing economy is gonna impact the "billionaire" clients.

Mike Bloomberg just blew a bil on Samoa.

 

He should have used the money to buy part of Samoa. Would have been better spent.

 

IF the sonic boom issue is sufficiently solved AND the FAA allows over land supersonic flights (there is a proposed rule on this open for comment) then this does have a good chance of being commercially viable. It is still going to be range limited versus planes like the Global 7500 and G650 or G700.

Potentially getting this one into reality will then accelerate better solutions that get faster and with longer range.

 

I had considerable skepticism regarding range also, however the fact that GE is creating a new engine based on latest technology will make a big difference.

 

Composite

 

Netjets are buying 20 of them So plenty will be available for individual charter

 

Aerion Supersonic abruptly shuts down, citing financial challenges

Aerion Supersonic, which had touted plans to build a $375 million jet-building facility at Orlando Melbourne International Airport, abruptly announced Friday it was shutting down, reports Florida Today.

“The AS2 supersonic business jet program meets all market, technical, regulatory and sustainability requirements, and the market for a new supersonic segment of general aviation has been validated with $11.2 billion in sales backlog for the AS2,” a company statement released Friday afternoon said.

“However, in the current financial environment, it has proven hugely challenging to close on the scheduled and necessary large new capital requirements to finalize the transition of the AS2 into production,” the statement said.

 

Yeah, looks like Aerion couldn't make it to the finish line. Will Boom Supersonic make it? Time will tell. They still have a lot of work to do.

 

Hope Boom makes it cuz we all can fly supersonic for the price of a business class ticket

 

Make it too small and it cannot go anywhere, so any speed advantage is lost at either end. Concorde had to charge such high prices they could not fill seats and make money. Boeing's research showed you needed a large, ~200 seat, Mach 3 airliner economically, but the initial investment and technology needs then did not make a business case. US boom rules really made it tough.