These are the main parts of The B Line’s report on Intercontinental Travel. Get the full report available for free download right here.
The Problem
It’s no secret that long-haul flights are brutal, with some lasting almost an entire day one-way. Yet even with Zoom and FaceTime there’s something about meeting a person face-to-face that still can’t be replicated online today. Even with a library of in-flight survival tips it can be tough to brunt through the experience.
So what’s in the works for improving the way we travel around the world?
Today
NASA has signed the Space Act Agreement (SAA) with Virgin Galactic and the Spaceship Company to create supersonic civilian transportation solutions.
NASA is partnering with Lockheed Martin on a X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology X-plane to reduce the impact of a sonic boom – the primary blocker to making supersonic flights reality.
Boom Supersonic is developing a commercial supersonic airliner called Overture with the goal of making tickets to travel supersonic $100 or less. The company already has 30 pre-orders from Japan Airlines and Virgin Group and their first prototype, the XB-1, was revealed in October.
Aerion Supersonic is building the Aerion AS2, a supersonic business jet that uses a GE Aviation engine and special “Boomless Cruise” technology that claims to negate the impact of a sonic boom on the ground.
Spike Aerospace is patenting Quiet Supersonic Flight Technology which reduces a sonic boom to “sounding like a soft clap”, enabling supersonic aircraft to fly over land without sacrificing speed.
Exosonic aims to develop a quiet supersonic 70-seat passenger aircraft flying at Mach 1.8. The first step will be developing a prototype for a supersonic presidential plane.
Virgin Galactic is working with Rolls-Royce to build a commercially-available jet that can fly at Mach 3 and carry up to 19 people at 60,000 feet. The jet is powered by an engine co-designed by Rolls-Royce and Reaction Engines.
Hermeus plans to develop hypersonic aircraft that will travel at Mach 5. It has just secured a $1.5 million contract from the US Air Force to make a hypersonic presidential jet.
MagniX manufactured the electric motor for the world’s current largest all-electric plane, which just flew for half an hour over Washington State.
Elon Musk (SpaceX) envisions using a Starship rocket to fly as many as 100 people around the world in minutes. Richard Branson (Virgin Galactic) proposed setting up a “global network of spaceports, trans-continental supersonic space flights” that will deliver passengers anywhere around the globe in only a few hours.
Opportunities
Establish niche supersonic-first companies such as international delivery or carbon-neutral fuel production.
Deploy wireless flight test instrumentation—the tools used to acquire, store, and transmit flight test data—to reduce the length of flight test and certification and reduce delay to market.
Use computer simulations to assist aerodynamics testing and advance airframe designs (e.g. noise reduction, heat resistance) to solve some of supersonic travel’s toughest problems.
Employ virtual reality to cut costs and risks in pilot training and accelerate pilot certification, filling the growing gap in pilots.
Leverage metal 3D printing to expedite innovations in supersonic part and aircraft design, particularly in innovating new form factors.
Predictions
COVID-19 hit the airline industry very hard, and such an impact on revenue and downstream manufacturers may hold developments in the aviation sector back for years.
Long-haul flights by large aircraft will not become fully electric any time soon, pending major breakthroughs in battery design (e.g. high energy density, compact and light) and matching electrical components (e.g. all-electric propulsion engine). Meanwhile, hybrid commercial electric aircraft, powered by both electricity and fossil fuels, will be rolled out.
Building electric aircraft will start to become a major business category, especially given how significantly electric mobility lowers both fuel and maintenance costs and policy support.
The FAA’s been updating standards that establish noise levels for subsonic operation of supersonic aircraft during landing and takeoff (LTO). This will help promote the continued development of supersonic aircraft.
Opinion and Analysis
Point-to-point rocket travel will take a long time to materialize, and even longer to commercialize. Rocket travel requires mindset shifts—how many people are willing to switch from air travel to rocket travel when doing so means putting their bodies through immense stress? Maybe small groups of high-value passengers such as executives or heads of states are more likely to say yes.
Overland supersonic flights were banned in the US and Europe because their booms would shatter windows and dislodge roof tiles. But supersonic travel may come back soon, thanks to the effort to reduce sonic boom and updates on the rules to facilitate the development of supersonic commercial flight.
The COVID-19 Pandemic, which forced people out of the skies, may also push them to question whether flying is worth it—this may serve as an opportunity for high-speed and affordable civilian ground transportation.
Climate-neutral, zero-emission commercial aircraft, such as electric and hydrogen-powered airplanes, will need more stringent climate policy to start getting R&D underway.
Supersonic aircraft developers (Boom, Aerion, Spike, etc.) may face regulatory challenges arising from the lack of international harmonization on supersonic regulations in the future.
Industry Knowledge
Fly further with more insights
Read about the key stakeholders, what’s on the horizon, additional links and more about Intercontinental Travel in the full report. Available for free download.
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