A jet that has the potential to shave hours off of long-haul journey times could become airborne later this year.
Despite supersonic overland flights being banned for decades, an aviation company claims it is currently paving the way for one to become the norm.
As per Yahoo News, Boom Sonic has been working on an experimental prototype which is nearing the final stages of ground testing.
In fact, things are going so well for the company that the XB-1 is actually on course to complete its first test flight by December.
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Regarding how prototype testing will help ready the company’s commercial Overture aircraft, Boom Sonic founder and CEO Blake Scholl said: “I believe in a future where more people go more places.
“Think about crossing the Atlantic in under four hours, leaving the East Coast in the morning, and making it to a dinner meeting in Europe on the same day. Think about being able to do a roundtrip to Asia in 24 hours."
He also stated that if the plane is ready for trans-oceanic travel by 2029, it could give ‘tens of millions of passengers’ the flexibility to vacation in Sydney instead of Hawaii.
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If and when the supersonic flight goes commercial, those boarding in the United Kingdom would be able to travel to the US in just 3.5 hours.
At the time of writing, it is reported that more than 600 routes have already been planned for the Overture flights.
It’s also stated that 130 pre-orders for the plane have already been submitted.
“Aviation has not seen a giant leap in decades,” said Scholl.
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"Overture is revolutionary in its design, and it will fundamentally change how we think about distance," he added.
While the XB-1 with pave the way for the Overture, the two planes reportedly have very little in common.
The test flight is expected to be flown by a single pilot, while the commercial plane will see multiple crew members manning the controls as well as seating between 64-80 business-class passengers.
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Despite this, it’s claimed that United Airlines, American Airlines and Japan Airlines have all put in pre-orders for the 'Son of Concorde' jet.
While these aviation giants are excited about the future of travel, Boom Sonic has been receiving criticism from the aviation community.
Brian Foley, an aviation analyst, previously told Robb Report: “Designing an engine is no easy task, especially from scratch, and it’s potentially a multibillion-dollar exercise beyond designing the plane.
“Much of the public, and even some in our industry, don’t appreciate the substantial dollars that will be required to get this thing over the top."
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More information regarding the supersonic jet is expected to be released, pending its first test flight later this year.
Featured Image Credit: Boom SonicTopics: Travel, United Airlines, World News, Technology