Emerging Aircraft: Supersonics

Backed by the engineering and marketing support of Airbus, and with a launch order for 20 from Flexjet LLC, Aerion was set fair for making first deliveries in 2023 – until a fundamental change of powerplant pushed that back by two years. Aerion and GE announced a joint engine study in May and have yet to reveal whether or not they will work together. Or, indeed, when that decision is due.

Whoever supplies the thrust, AS2 is now foreseen as a trijet, with a range of 4,750 nm IFR at Mach 1.4 or 5,300 nm at Mach 0.95. Aerion’s strategy is for high-subsonic cruise over land, the top speed reserved for unregulated water crossings, although “boomless” Mach 1.1 flight is possible.

Seating is for 12, with a promise that a cabin mockup will be available for inspection at the present NBAA Convention.

Efforts are currently being directed into the XB-1 “Baby Boom” third-scale testbed, which is to fly next year and define technology for a 45/55-seat airliner that will cruise at Mach 2.2 but charge its all-business-class users no more than the subsonic fare. First commitments were announced in 2016 in the form of a combined 25 from Virgin Group (10) and one undisclosed European airline. By this June, that had risen to 76 from five airlines, including 51 classed as “orders.”

Boom also adopts the over-water supersonic operating model, with the added idiosyncrasy that the published range of 9,000 nm includes an ultra-brief refueling stop, during which passengers remain seated. The three-turbofan powerplant is not due for selection until next year, but Boom is aiming for 2023 deliveries.

One feels this aircraft should be operating out of Area 51, because of the high- and secret technology it incorporates. It is a hybrid turbofan ramjet-powered business jet that will carry 36 passengers, or 20 VIPs, hypersonically over 7,000 nm at 80,000 ft. Wind tunnel tests are understood to be in hand, to be followed next year by a Mach 5 scale model flight and, in 2019, first bench runs of the innovative 76,225-lb.-thrust H-Magjet 5500-X, two of which equip the aircraft. Service entry is predicted in 2028.

Aerodynamic efficiency and boom mitigation will come from an electromagnetically generated plasma ion field activating a form of laminar flow. A related advantage is that the plasma field reduces kinetic heating of the ceramic composite skin.

A self-funding design incorporating a pair of unspecified 20,000-lb.-thrust engines, S-512 will cruise at Mach 1.6 and cover 6,200 nm supersonic over water. Passengers total 22 in a windowless cabin, the “Multiplex Digital” walls of which are covered by thin display screens projecting entertainment. Earlier this year, Spike was predicting first flight in 2021 and market availability in 2023, the first step toward which was the maiden flight in September of the SX-1.2-scale model. By 2019, the aim is to be flying a manned testbed.