New representations have been released that open the eyes of the interior of a 1,100 mph (Mach 1.6) supersonic aircraft that will be able to fly from New York to London in about three and a half hours.
Boston-based Spike S-512 Supersonic Business Jet, based in Boston, is expected to start $ 10022 million (£ 71 million) in test flights in 2022 and start flying passengers in 2028, according to the CEO Vik Kachoria.
Conceptual representations of the Spike Aerospace team show how 12 to 18 passengers on the plane could find themselves circling the world in something resembling a mini-hotel in the sky.
The new interior representations show how the passengers of the Spike S-512 could be inside a ‘mini-hotel’ of flying luxury
Flying from A to B on the Spike S-512 will be a journey to remember, day or night. This representation has recently been published by Spike Aerospace
This new version Spike S-512 proposes a cabin with a seat similar to the throne for each passenger
Each interior of Spike S-512 will be fully customizable. This new representation shows how an owner could install an elegant galley
The $ 100 million Spike Aerospace Spike S-512 Supersonic Business Jet, based in Boston, is scheduled to begin test flights in 2022
A “range map” for the Mach 1.6 Spike S-512 indicating flight times from London to several major cities in the world
Kachoria explains to MailOnline Travel that the representations show possibilities for the cabin, which will be fully customizable.
Even if the custom designs are relatively prosaic, the booth will still be a showstopper.
This is because it will incorporate exclusive “windowless digital multiplex technology”: full high-definition screens instead of windows that can display from panoramic views of the natural world to film and laptop presentations.
Spike Aerospace says the view from these screens can be controlled via a smartphone or tablet, as well as intuitive touch devices in each seat.
The firm adds that by eliminating traditional windows, the cabin will offer “unprecedented noise reduction and superior strength for quiet, serene flights.”
As any aviation engineer will point out, windows are a weak point of the fuselage.
Of course, what will really differentiate the Spike S-512 from the common business or garden jet is its high speed and stealthy way of pulling forward from point to point.
Spike Aerospace explains that the S-512 will be the first aerodynamically designed aircraft to offer “silent supersonic flight technology.”
The result of this is a clearly muted sound boom that is less than 75 PLdb (perceived sound level). It should sound like a “soft applause,” Spike Aerospace says.
By contrast, Concorde produced such a boom sound effect that it was restricted to flights over transoceanic routes, primarily New York to London or Paris, Spike Aerospace notes.
He says the S-512 “was designed from the ground up to travel at supersonic speeds in a quiet and efficient manner, opening destinations around the world to travelers demanding the best and fastest private air transportation.”
The plane’s twin engines will propel it from London to Dubai in just over three hours, Hong Kong in just over five and a half hours and from New York to Los Angeles in just over two hours, to Tokyo in 6.4 hours and in Rome in six hours.
Spike Aerospace says, “The S-512 will be the fastest civilian aircraft available, saving passengers hours of flight on each trip and providing an unparalleled en route experience. Air travel will never be the same.
The firm is also working on a private jet that will be even faster than the S-512, one capable of flying from New York to London in just 90 minutes. But this will not make an appearance until at least 2035.
Two other American companies are developing supersonic private jets: Boom Supersonic and Aerion.
A new concept of representation for the Spike S-512 that shows the cabin transformed into medical bay
This map shows the travel times of the Spike S-512 from New York to some of the world’s top destinations.
This map shows the travel times of the Spike S-512 from Los Angeles to some of the major cities in the world
The Spike S-512 will incorporate exclusive “windowless multiplex digital technology”: full HD screens instead of windows. This performance was published by Spike Aerospace a few years ago
The S-512’s displays can range from panoramic views of the natural world to film and laptop presentations. This performance was published a few years ago by Spike Aerospace
Spike Aerospace says, “The S-512 will be the fastest civilian aircraft available, saving passengers hours of flight on each trip”
Vik Kachoria, CEO of Spike Aerospace
The Concorde, the last supersonic passenger aircraft, entered service in 1976 and continued to fly for 27 years. It is one of the two supersonic transports that has been operated commercially.
It had a top speed of twice the speed of sound at Mach 2.04 (1,354 mph / 2,180 km / h at cruising altitude) and could accommodate between 92 and 128 passengers.
Concorde was developed and manufactured jointly by Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) under an Anglo-French treaty.
Air France and British Airways each received seven aircraft.
Concorde withdrew in 2003 due to a general downturn in the commercial aviation industry following the only accident of its kind in 2000, the attacks of September 11, 2001 and the decision of Airbus, the successor to Aerospatiale and BAC, to suspend maintenance.
The S-512 “was designed from the ground up to travel at supersonic speeds in a quiet and efficient manner, opening destinations around the world to travelers demanding the best and fastest private air transportation.”