London to Sydney 'in five hours' on new jet
British engineers have unveiled plans for a hypersonic jet which could fly from Europe to Australia in less than five hours.
The A2 plane, designed by engineering company Reaction Engines based in Oxfordshire, southern England, could carry 300 passengers at a top speed of almost 6,400 kilometres per hour - five times the speed of sound.
The LAPCAT (Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies) project, backed by the European Space Agency, could see the plane operating within 25 years, the firm's boss Alan Bond told the Guardian daily.
"The A2 is designed to leave Brussels international airport, fly quietly and subsonically out into the north Atlantic at mach 0.9 before reaching mach 5 across the North Pole and heading over the Pacific to Australia," he said.
The plane, which at 143 metres long would be about twice the size of the biggest current jets, could fly non-stop for up to 20,000 kilometres.
It operates on liquid hydrogen, which is more ecologically friendly as it gives off water and nitrous oxide instead of carbon emissions.
Passengers would have to put up with having no windows, due to problems with heat produced at high speeds.
Instead, designers may put flat screen televisions where the windows would be, giving the impression of seeing outside.
Fares would be comparable with current first class tickets on standard flights.
The flight time from Brussels to Australia would be four hours and 40 minutes.
"It sounds incredible by today's standards but I don't see why future generations can't make day trips to Australasia," Mr Bond said.
"Our work shows that it is possible technically; now it's up to the world to decide if it wants it."
- AFP
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That would be an incredible ride! Can you imagine.. flying over the north pole!! Pity there aren't windows, that view would be tremendous.
ReplyDeleteThe speed is a bit awesome too. I remember coming home from Singapore and seeing the speed display on the screen as we flew along with the aptly-named jet stream. At times we were doing over 1000 km/hr! That pales into insignificance with this plane!
ReplyDeleteWOW! That is fast. Any flights I've had were in 2 or 4 seaters or helicopter. The helicopter was fun. My husband used to spray crops and he took us (me and Dog) in the helicopter. It was really fun to see the dog's reaction. I was telling her there were birds and she kept looking up even though they were below us. We ran into a group of wild boars at very low altitude (about 6 feet off the ground), that little dog was just beside herself sitting in the bubble watching those pigs!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a lot of fun!
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