Rise of supersonic aircraft?

[steingar]

Advances in materials and propulsion technologies have once again brought supersonic passenger aircraft into the realm of the possible, with Aerion creating a jet expected to enter service by 2020. An interesting piece on CNN.

 

[Velocity173]

They mention the "boom barrier" a couple of times. Yeah, I would think that would be a deal breaker to me. No one is going to put up with hearing sonic booms on a regular basis. I talked about it in another forum where F-15s used bust mach all the time over central Ga in the 90's. The locals finally got tired of it and convinced the Air Force in flying the aircraft all the way across Ga to the off shore Warning Area. Not sure if they do it at all over Ga anymore.

 

[X3 Skier]

If that ever happens, I will be amazed. Last time I read about it, the flyaway cost was $80Million for a plane carrying 12 people? We all know the price goes down and the performace goes up as an airplane and engine are developed.

I do happen to have an idea for a bridge across the Atlanic that is only lacking a few investors.

Cheers

 

[Velocity173]

I guess they still go Supersonic over Ga they just split flights between Ga and the Warning Area.

 

[MAKG1]

Predictions of future technology have a tendency not just to be wrong, but to be on a different planet from reality.

I thought we were all supposed to have flying cars by 2000, weren't we?

What has changed since the SST failed so spectacularly? Composites? Maybe, but I doubt it. The energy cost of making all those sonic booms is going to show up as fuel burn, whether the aircraft is made of carbon fiber or aluminum.

 

[steingar]

What has changed since the SST failed so spectacularly? Composites? Maybe, but I doubt it. The energy cost of making all those sonic booms is going to show up as fuel burn, whether the aircraft is made of carbon fiber or aluminum.

Materials and manufacturing processes have both seen pretty big advances since Concorde, as has our understanding of aerodynamics. Jet engines are now quieter and more fuel efficient than the past. Are these enough to overcome the burn and boom? At least one manufacturer is betting so. Could be they've been sniffing too many vapors. Could be they're onto something. Just because something didn't work in the past doesn't mean it won't work in the future.

 

[MAKG1]

We'll see. I won't be buying stock in that company any time soon. Seen too many BS claims....

Air operations are dominated by fuel costs. It will always take a lot more fuel for supersonic flight than transonic flight. Well, unless this is a single-stage-to-orbit spacecraft.

 

[kontiki]

Advances in materials and propulsion technologies have once again brought supersonic passenger aircraft into the realm of the possible, with Aerion creating a jet expected to enter service by 2020. An interesting piece on CNN.

These are trial ballons floated to see if there is any interest. As a longtime reader of AWS&T, I've seen a zillion of them.

Airplanes are gonna be just like they always have, anything different fails. It's just the way it is.

Space is seeing some real inovation.

 

[Lance F]

At least one manufacturer is betting so.

That's the thing. Aerion is not a manufacturer. They have been trying for YEARS to get a legit airplane builder to sign up with them. Nada. Every once in awhile they get some Arab shiek to pony up some cash, they run a new wing through a wind tunnel and issue a ton of press releases.

It's too bad. I didn't get to fly the Concorde and I would love to fly supersonic just once.

 

[Henning]

Predictions of future technology have a tendency not just to be wrong, but to be on a different planet from reality.

I thought we were all supposed to have flying cars by 2000, weren't we?

What has changed since the SST failed so spectacularly? Composites? Maybe, but I doubt it. The energy cost of making all those sonic booms is going to show up as fuel burn, whether the aircraft is made of carbon fiber or aluminum.

Digital engine management and high bypass-high speed engines capable of the required power out of after burner. However these are not sufficient to make it a feasible venture.

 

[X3 Skier]

Digital engine management and high bypass-high speed engines capable of the required power out of after burner. However these are not sufficient to make it a feasible venture.

The F119 that allows supercruise (Mach 1+) without Augmentor in the F-22 is about 0.2 Bypass. And that's a Thrust/Weight ~ 1 for the system and ~10 for the engine. OTOH, the J58 in the SR-71 is almost a Turboramjet at Supersonic cruise which is a bypass of zero. The Olympus in the Concorde was also a straight Turbojet and cruised at M~2 with the AB shut down, IIRC.

High Bypass (BPR >>1) and Supersonic

Cheers