You can soon travel 3,500 miles by plane to Europe in the same amount of time it takes you to travel 420 miles by vehicle to New York City, and more than 5 times the speed of the fastest train. Spike Aerospace, a Boston-based aircraft company believes in a powerful comeback of supersonic air travel, which was popularized in the 1970s but came to a quick demise after two fatal crashes with hundreds on board the Concorde Supersonic Jet.
A successful flight on a Spike S-512, Spike Aerospace’s own supersonic plane, promises 50% or more reduction in travel time. This means Bostonians would be able to go to Europe in as little as 3 hours.
There’s been major force behind bringing customers more accessible, cheaper travel like this $129 flight to London. But what if flying promised to save the most valuable resource of all, time? While the Spike Supersonic Jet currently operates exclusively in select cities and with select clientele, they’re pioneering the return of supersonic travel to Boston and beyond.
Spike S-512 Supersonic Jet resurrects superspeed air travel
Commercial supersonic travel’s lifespan was short. Becoming popularized in the 1970s and deteriorating quickly until a final takeoff in 2003. The Concorde offered speed and time saving flights but ultimately had too many problems: loud sonic boom, enormous fuel emissions, and worst of all, several fatal commercial crashes.
Despite the Concorde’s many shortcomings, the entire industry didn’t go quiet. Spike Aerospace, founded in 2013 Max Kachoria of NASA, built an 18-passenger supersonic jet with low-sonic boom, fuel efficiency, speeds up to 1,100 mph, and flight times slashed in half. Their current model is the S-512 which can get passengers to cities in a moment’s notice:
- NYC to London: 3 hours
- NYC to LA: 2.23 hours
- London to Dubai: 3.2 hours
- Singapore to Sydney: 3.7 hours
The Spike range map shows just how much time is saved by a supersonic flight from the East Coast as opposed to regular aircraft.
While inaugural flights have yet to travel out of Boston, they have been tested in other cities such as New York, they might in the near future. And just like Manhattanites, Bostonians could get to London in a pinch. As of 2023 Spike Aerospace offers jet reservations.
About Spike Aerospace
Spike Aerospace headquartered in Boston and Miami. They consider supersonic flight “the future of aviation.” Their inaugural jet is designed for business travel or entertainment. Spike’s executive team is comprised of former Airbus, Gulfstream, Eclipse, Epic, and Boeing employees.