Gulf investors, Hypermach plan to build supersonic jet
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Gulf investors and Hypermach are in talks for funding of development of the next generation of supersonic jets, as reported in Saudi Gazette. This is targeted to be launched in 2023 wherein passengers could fly from New York to London in two hours.
The SonicStar jet will be designed to reach speeds of up to Mach 3.6, which is 2,740 miles per hour, and will fly at heights of around 18,300 meters. The propulsion is projected to be 30% more fuel efficient than the Rolls Royce Olympus 593 engine and, once complete, it will reduce transatlantic travel to two hours and could manage flights from Sydney to the US in around five hours.
“We have several, five or six, fairly interesting and serious discussions with geographic locations… In Abu Dhabi, we have had talks with financial institutions and funds there. Also Qatar and Kuwait and Saudi Arabia as well,” Richard Lugg, CEO of Hypermach, told Arabian Business.
Lugg estimated that the project will need around US$2-3 billion in funding to get it to a prototype stage, but he revealed it is already advancing and moving forward.
Abu Dhabi has already invested in Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic. The Abu Dhabi government’s Aabar Investments bought a 35% stake in Virgin Galactic in 2009 for US$300m. Branson said the first commercial flight – with himself, his wife and their two children on board – is expected to launch within a few months. He expected regular passenger services to be in place in about 12 years, offering a real alternative to aeroplane travel.
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