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I agree with this, and most of the reservations expressed, but just to note: he said Europe to Australia in 4 hours. That's... more like 22 hours now, right? Th

by markbnj 12y ago

I agree with this, and most of the reservations expressed, but just to note: he said Europe to Australia in 4 hours. That's... more like 22 hours now, right? That would be a very significant improvement.

XorNot 12y ago
I would pay $1000 more per ticket to do Australia to Europe in 4 hours. For businesses that cost would be a no-brainer: landing and being able to actually function, would be amazing.
- pi-err 12y ago
  Well $1,000/trip is a super low premium to chase. 50 years of commercial airline operations have been hard for niche aircrafts. I'm not bullish on the hopes of a LEO commercial plane in our lifespan. It's a tough equation: - a LEO plane won't be developed without presales that warrant safe funding (ie. from flagship airlines) - incumbents are all about kerosene and do not want to add a significantly different tech to their already complex operations. - new comers will not get access to enough capital to secure the development of a disruptive engine technology Airlines make cash by moving a diversified mix of people and cargo. I just don't see anyone moving to the (super volatile) premium-only market with a supersonic high fixed cost jet.
- cstross 12y ago
  You can currently pay $5000 more per return ticket (if you shop around) to do it business class. Full lie-flat bed, decent service, leg room, seatback power. You arrive feeling reasonably fresh (modulo the jet lag) and you can work en-route. That's the competition, and it'll be upgraded to compete if a hypersonic option ever comes on the market within an order of magnitude of its price -- think in terms of the first class cabins and bathrooms with showers that Emirates already put on their A380s, then upgrade it to a compact en suite hotel room with in-flight internet.
  - notahacker 12y ago
    This. The maximum possible time saving looks even less significant when considering that since the physics and maintenance requirements for transporting people in turbofan-engined aluminium tubes at 1000km/h at 30,000ft is pretty well understood after half a century, the A380 will have better dispatch reliability and be substantially less likely to send your VIPs to a fiery death.

by markbnj 12y ago

XorNot 12y ago

I would pay $1000 more per ticket to do Australia to Europe in 4 hours. For businesses that cost would be a no-brainer: landing and being able to actually function, would be amazing.

pi-err 12y ago
Well $1,000/trip is a super low premium to chase. 50 years of commercial airline operations have been hard for niche aircrafts. I'm not bullish on the hopes of a LEO commercial plane in our lifespan. It's a tough equation: - a LEO plane won't be developed without presales that warrant safe funding (ie. from flagship airlines) - incumbents are all about kerosene and do not want to add a significantly different tech to their already complex operations. - new comers will not get access to enough capital to secure the development of a disruptive engine technology Airlines make cash by moving a diversified mix of people and cargo. I just don't see anyone moving to the (super volatile) premium-only market with a supersonic high fixed cost jet.
cstross 12y ago
You can currently pay $5000 more per return ticket (if you shop around) to do it business class. Full lie-flat bed, decent service, leg room, seatback power. You arrive feeling reasonably fresh (modulo the jet lag) and you can work en-route. That's the competition, and it'll be upgraded to compete if a hypersonic option ever comes on the market within an order of magnitude of its price -- think in terms of the first class cabins and bathrooms with showers that Emirates already put on their A380s, then upgrade it to a compact en suite hotel room with in-flight internet.
- notahacker 12y ago
  This. The maximum possible time saving looks even less significant when considering that since the physics and maintenance requirements for transporting people in turbofan-engined aluminium tubes at 1000km/h at 30,000ft is pretty well understood after half a century, the A380 will have better dispatch reliability and be substantially less likely to send your VIPs to a fiery death.