Small supersonic jets to reduce business travel time
Air travel is becoming more and more frequent in an increasingly global economy. Despite the benefits of long-distance conference calls and satellite communications, certain business activities require an on-site, personal presence. Business productivity could be significantly enhanced by reduced travel time, achievable with the use of supersonic jets for long trips. European scientists sought to evaluate the feasibility of an environmentally compliant supersonic small-scale transport aircraft (S4TA) with funding of the ‘Environmentally friendly high speed aircraft’ (HISAC) project. Using a multidisciplinary optimisation (MDO) approach with adapted numerical modelling tools, the consortium simulated noise, emissions, so-called sonic booms, engine performance and aerodynamics. The team quantified trade-offs between aircraft performance and environmental constraints related to noise, emissions and sonic booms. Careful consideration of technical aspects such as engine and wing design for drag minimisation and noise and emissions reduction resulted in assessment of overall benefits of certain key technologies or integrated solutions. HISAC made important progress in evaluation of the feasibility of developing small supersonic jets for business travel. Commercial implementation of project concepts could provide a significant boost to business productivity.
