How fast is an aeroplane

The New Boom Supersonic Jet: Lagos to London in 3 Hours

Supersonic is back. Boom Technology’s Overture jet just passed its first test flight. It’ll fly twice as fast as current airliners and could cut Lagos to London to 3 hours 15 minutes.

Quick specs:

• Speed: Mach 1.7 = 2,099 km/h. Concorde was Mach 2.04.
• Passengers: 64 to 80. All business class seats.
• Range: 7,867 km. Lagos to London is 4,988 km, easy.
• Fuel: 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel. No fossil fuels.

Concorde died in 2003 because it was too loud and burned too much fuel. Overture fixed both. It uses new engines that hit supersonic only over oceans, so no sonic boom over cities. Noise rules won’t ban it.

Airlines already ordered it: United, American, and Japan Airlines have 130 pre-orders. United wants Lagos → Newark flights by 2029.

The ticket price: Boom says Lagos to London will cost around $2,500 one-way. Pricey, but same as current business class. For 3 hours vs 6.5 hours, companies will pay.

The catch: First passenger flight is 2029. Certification takes time. And it’s small - only 80 seats vs 300 on a Boeing 787. So don’t expect cheap economy tickets.

Still, this is the first real supersonic jet since Concorde. If it works, Sydney to London drops from 22 hours to 8. The world gets smaller again.

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