Business jets are unique aircraft, as they are designed to be operated by one or just a few extremely wealthy individuals, to whom operational costs are of minimal concern. Over the past twenty years, business aviation has rapidly evolved, and manufacturers like Gulfstream, Bombardier, and Embraer have competed to introduce faster business jets to the market. Get all the latest aviation news from Simple Flying!
Today, Bombardier's Global aircraft is the fastest on the market, offering top speeds of a mind-boggling Mach 0. This aircraft has narrowly pushed past competitors like the Gulfstream G to earn this title and stands out as the fastest purpose-built business jet to ever enter serial production.
When flying near the speed of sound, drag increases exponentially, drastically increasing fuel costs. As a result, commercial airliners are encouraged to remain far beneath the sound barrier. For private jet operators, whose priority is speed and convenience, not cost reductions, the arguments against flying in the transonic range are significantly weaker.
Therefore, business jet manufacturers like Gulfstream have strived to build private jets that push the limits of subsonic speed capabilities, by introducing new sleek swept-wing designs, more powerful engines, and fuel-saving winglets. These aircraft, despite making impressive advances in private aviation technology, will soon hit their limit, as there simply will not be more room to improve speed without breaking the sound barrier.
Therefore, the world of private aviation has a key question to answer: Is there an argument in favor of the use of supersonic business jets? The answer is undoubtedly complex and depends on multiple factors, including the environmental damage from sonic booms, the increased fuel consumption, and any potential safety implications. Boom Supersonic has a meaningful XB-1 third test flight coupled to other good news for the new aircraft manufacturer. Commercial aircraft manufacturers have attempted to build passenger supersonic transports, none of which have achieved major commercial success.
