3 ms·

I hope they succeed, but I read (on HN) a while back that they lost their partnership with Rolls-Royce. This article mentions in passing that they have some GE

by gumby 3y ago

I hope they succeed, but I read (on HN) a while back that they lost their partnership with Rolls-Royce. This article mentions in passing that they have some GE engines in this PoC, but nothing about an engine partnership. My understanding is that a plane is designed with a particular powerplant in mind so such a partnership would be make or break.

wkat4242 3y ago
Yeah I'm surprised they got this far. I thought it was all over and done. I don't really see how this will be a success commercially with the whole CO2 crisis going on, though I could imagine that some militaries will want a faster troop transport or something.
- nickdothutton 3y ago
  Amex used to book out the first few rows of every Concorde flight. You might indeed be surprised. Of course it was quite a while ago.
  - wkat4242 3y ago
    Yeah back then business class was still a thing for most business travelers also. These days you have to be practically C-level to get it :P But I think with the increased scrutiny on carbon emissions this will not fly anymore (pun intended). See how celebs are being criticised for using their private jets for example. This will only get worse. Then using a plane that emits much more carbon for the same distance (even though it's much faster) will definitely make it harder to justify.
    - RecycledEle 3y ago
      I do not see carbon emissions limiting air travel. Those jokers still use leaded gas, FFS. There are 2 sets of rules: The laws that tell me I can not get to work in my 23-year-old pickup truck, and those rules do not apply to people who can fly private jets. Those people fly private jumbo jets to environmental conferences. I know this will be an unpopular opinion on HN, but what if we banned all civilian air travel (I mean ALL civilian air travel) until they can prove they meet the emissions standards and fuel economy standards my 23 year old pickup has to meet to pass emissions testing every year.
      - _moof 3y ago
        Jets (and turboprops) don't use leaded fuel, they use kerosene. You're thinking of light aircraft with reciprocating engines.
      - wkat4242 3y ago
        Jets actually have to pass emissions testing quite regularly as part of their strict maintenance regime. They are maintained to a standard even the most hardcore car enthusiast can't shake a stick at. They emit a lot of CO2 because they need a lot of energy. But they burn pretty clean, the age of jets trailing large black trails are gone. The only planes using leaded are general aviation light aircraft that still use AVGAS 100LL. Jets use only Jet A-1 which is unleaded kerosine (though technically they can burn almost anything which is one of the cool things of jets but of course for reliability and safety this is not done in aircraft). The M1 Abrams tank touts this as a major advantage though, if you're in a pinch you can pour pretty much anything that burns in the tank. Just a shitload of it :)
Already__Taken 3y ago
almost nothing has done well making an engine and an airframe at the same time. I hope they can get flying long enough to upgrade engines.
kejaed 3y ago
They have an engine partnership with Kratos FTT https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boom-supersonic-make-engines-its-jets-alliance-with-kratos-unit-2022-12-13/ https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boom-supe...

by gumby 3y ago

wkat4242 3y ago

Yeah I'm surprised they got this far. I thought it was all over and done. I don't really see how this will be a success commercially with the whole CO2 crisis going on, though I could imagine that some militaries will want a faster troop transport or something.

nickdothutton 3y ago
Amex used to book out the first few rows of every Concorde flight. You might indeed be surprised. Of course it was quite a while ago.
- wkat4242 3y ago
  Yeah back then business class was still a thing for most business travelers also. These days you have to be practically C-level to get it :P But I think with the increased scrutiny on carbon emissions this will not fly anymore (pun intended). See how celebs are being criticised for using their private jets for example. This will only get worse. Then using a plane that emits much more carbon for the same distance (even though it's much faster) will definitely make it harder to justify.
  - RecycledEle 3y ago
    I do not see carbon emissions limiting air travel. Those jokers still use leaded gas, FFS. There are 2 sets of rules: The laws that tell me I can not get to work in my 23-year-old pickup truck, and those rules do not apply to people who can fly private jets. Those people fly private jumbo jets to environmental conferences. I know this will be an unpopular opinion on HN, but what if we banned all civilian air travel (I mean ALL civilian air travel) until they can prove they meet the emissions standards and fuel economy standards my 23 year old pickup has to meet to pass emissions testing every year.
    - _moof 3y ago
      Jets (and turboprops) don't use leaded fuel, they use kerosene. You're thinking of light aircraft with reciprocating engines.
    - wkat4242 3y ago
      Jets actually have to pass emissions testing quite regularly as part of their strict maintenance regime. They are maintained to a standard even the most hardcore car enthusiast can't shake a stick at. They emit a lot of CO2 because they need a lot of energy. But they burn pretty clean, the age of jets trailing large black trails are gone. The only planes using leaded are general aviation light aircraft that still use AVGAS 100LL. Jets use only Jet A-1 which is unleaded kerosine (though technically they can burn almost anything which is one of the cool things of jets but of course for reliability and safety this is not done in aircraft). The M1 Abrams tank touts this as a major advantage though, if you're in a pinch you can pour pretty much anything that burns in the tank. Just a shitload of it :)

Already__Taken 3y ago

almost nothing has done well making an engine and an airframe at the same time. I hope they can get flying long enough to upgrade engines.

kejaed 3y ago

They have an engine partnership with Kratos FTT https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boom-supersonic-make-engines-its-jets-alliance-with-kratos-unit-2022-12-13/ https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boom-supe...