Bella Breakdown
Imagine flying from New York to London in four hours, this feat might seem impossible but supersonic jets can significantly cut travel time while offering an improved version of air travel. The supersonic jet seems like a relatively new innovation but the technology dates back to the 1940s.
Modern-day supersonic jets differ from their predecessors in key respects:
🛫Aircraft design improvements
🛫Lighter and quieter materials
🛫Efficient upgrades that pollute less
🛫Engineering to reduce “sonic booms”On top of all that: They look awesome https://t.co/UpQPcwt591 pic.twitter.com/3u0CdB9t8L
— Bloomberg Opinion (@opinion) March 30, 2021
Supersonic jets were initially developed as military crafts shortly after World War II and transformed into an upgraded version of standard airplanes in the 1970s but ultimately proved to cause complications. Supersonic jets are faster than the speed of sound but can be very loud during flight causing trouble with the FAA as well as generating pollution from massive amounts of fuel.
These operational issues led to the decline of supersonic jet travel but a new generation of improved jets will lead the future of air travel. A select group of enterprising companies is investing in the future of travel with a new and improved fleet of supersonic jets to be adapted for the tourism industry.
It makes the economic case for supersonic jets much weaker:
🚫It limits the market size
🚫Prevents companies from finding the most profitable routes
🚫Eliminates the vast majority of potential business travel https://t.co/UpQPcwt591 pic.twitter.com/LzEaB5vGtQ— Bloomberg Opinion (@opinion) March 30, 2021
Warren Buffet’s NetJets recently acquired 20 supersonic jets from the startup Aerion with each jet costing $120 million each for a total investment of $2.4 billion into this new endeavor. These improved supersonic jets featuring a new aircraft design, science, materials, and engine systems for lighter jets that eliminate the “sonic booms” generated during flight.
The new supersonic jets are also fuel-efficient and generate less pollution backed by a private investment that will eliminate the issues that troubled past supersonic air travel companies. This new development in air travel will allow access to tourists to more locations at quicker speeds that can connect major cities worldwide.
Unfortunately, there are impediments to the supersonic dream.
One is concern about noise. This led the FAA to prohibit supersonic flight over land in the U.S. in 1973, and the ban is still in place https://t.co/UpQPcwt591 pic.twitter.com/1jUsrzd4U7
— Bloomberg Opinion (@opinion) March 30, 2021
Supersonic jets still face adversity becoming the future of travel with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) holding a ban on supersonic flight over the U.S. since 1973. This ban limits the market size and has hindered supersonic aviation companies in the past.
The improved supersonic jets could tackle the issues with the FAA ban cutting back on pollution and sound but remains to stand in the way of this expansion in the aviation industry. Air travel by supersonic jets is expected to start on a corporate level and ultimately become available to the commercial market for travelers.
