Could this private jet become the successor to Concorde?
How this new private jet could be the successor to Concorde
- The Bombardier Global 8000, a newly certified business jet, is marketed as the fastest civil aircraft since Concorde, capable of an "ultra high-speed cruise" at 605mph.
- While Bombardier claims the jet offers significant time savings on long-haul routes, these are considerably less than the time saved by the supersonic Concorde, which flew at 1,350mph and allowed passengers to arrive earlier than their departure time, local time.
- The article contrasts the Global 8000's capabilities with the true "time machine" experience of Concorde, which first flew paying passengers 50 years ago.
- Experts like former Concorde pilot Captain Jock Lowe predict commercial supersonic passenger flights are unlikely before 2050, despite Boom Supersonic's aim for the end of the current decade.
- The Global 8000, costing $78m, offers flexibility in routes and timing for ultra-wealthy travellers, but its time-saving benefits are deemed astronomically expensive, with non-stop long-haul flights like the proposed London-Sydney link seen as a more practical future for fast travel.