Airbus's New Plan: 'Flight from London to New York in One Hour'

Airbus, the manufacturer of the world's largest passenger jet based in Paris, has successfully developed a supersonic passenger aircraft that can cover the distance from Paris to Tokyo in just three hours. According to a report on Tuesday, August 4, by Reuters, Airbus has patented a design for a supersonic aircraft that travels faster than the speed of sound. However, it is unlikely to replace the previous generation of supersonic aircraft, the Concorde, which operated on a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen fuel. This new aircraft can travel the typical 12-hour distance between Paris and Tokyo in three hours and the distance from London to New York in one hour. According to confirmation from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, this aircraft can reach speeds up to four times the speed of sound. It is capable of carrying 20 passengers or cargo weighing two to three tons over a distance of 5,500 miles (more than 8,850 kilometers). According to The Telegraph, the aircraft's power comes from three engines: a conventional jet engine located in the main body, one or more ramjets for compressing air before it enters the turbine, and a rocket-like engine that uses a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen fuel. The lift force of the aircraft is provided by the conventional jet and rocket engines, which accelerate the aircraft to supersonic speeds, after which the ramjets take over, allowing the aircraft to fly at altitudes higher than other planes. Previously, two types of Concorde supersonic aircraft were tested in 1976 by a British airline and Airbus itself, which flew at twice the speed of sound and could carry 120 passengers, but many were retired due to issues including fires and crashes. Supersonic travel has been largely halted for the past three years, except for a few instances. It remains to be seen whether the new generation of supersonic aircraft will play a role in the passenger market.