What do you give the successful business person who has everything? Maybe you could consider a supersonic private jet. At least it’s more interesting than a pair of socks.
A new start-up company called Spike Aerospace wants to give corporate money men the chance to get to their meetings a lot quicker. When we say a lot quicker we mean Mach 1.6 quicker. This will get them to their destination in about half of the time needed in a traditional plane.
The jet they are looking to bring out is to be called the S-512. It has been developed by engineers with experience working on Airbus, Eclipse and Gulfstream craft. It would be the first private jet capable of going supersonic, with a top speed of Mach 1.8.
Up to 18 Passengers
The current fastest jet around for business use is Gulfstream G650, which can go at Mach .875. The range of the new plane is given as 4,600 miles and the vehicle measures 131 foot long. Within it, there will be a big cabin which can fit in a maximum of 18 passengers. An example of the kind of difference it could make to a typical business trip can be seen in the fact that it would turn the trip from Los Angeles to Tokyo into an 8 hour jaunt instead of a 16 hour slog.
Not a great deal of details are available yet it is expected that December 2018 would see the first S-512 in use. It isn’t yet clear how the issue of sonic boom would be dealt with.
The price? Between $60 and $80 million has been quoted.
Where in the world would you go in a jet like this?
