San Francisco to D.C. in 2.5 hours? Supersonic domestic flights may be legal soon

The Story:

The days of supersonic flight could be back, a la Concorde-style commercial aircraft, as soon as 2018, even for domestic flights within the U.S.

Boom Technology, Inc. is looking at a 2023 commercial entry, but such flights could become legal next year. Boom is working an a 55-seater that is expected to do the San Francisco to Washington D.C. hop in just 2.5 hours, half what it takes now.

Important Because:

Though it may cost more that a regular flight, doing New York to London in 3 hours compared to the current 8 hours could (once again) upend the business travel segment.

The biggest stumbling block to trans-American supersonic travel has been a 1973 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulation that bans supersonic flight over U.S. air space.

But the FAA’s laws are up for renegotiation, said Boom’s Chief Executive Blake Scholl at the Dubai Airshow Monday.

This Happened:

Scholl busted myths about the notorious “sonic boom” being hazardous to people – and windows – on the ground, saying that such stories are greatly exaggerated.

The CEO also revealed that the new plane would be produced in the United States, with a possible satellite facility in another location.

The company is currently looking for a site where it can build about 100 aircraft per year.

Boom Supersonic already has 76 pre-orders for its aircraft, with Virgin Atlantic reserving 10 options to buy.

 

==========

Hey, thanks for visiting! We’re just a small team working extra-hard to help you cut to the chase on the most important news from around the world, so we’d appreciate your help spreading the word. Come join us on: Facebook and Twitter