A2 hypersonic jet

[ardypilot]

It's quiet, green and will get you from New Zealand to Europe and back within a day.

The A2 hypersonic jet is the bold new face of high-speed air travel, promising speeds of 6100km/h, or five times the speed of sound.

It maybe some years off, but the idea of a five-hour trip from New Zealand to London would open up a new era of day-tripping.

The proposed plane was dreamt up after the European Space Agency challenged scientists to design a commercial jet using space-travel technology. British firm Reaction Engines came up with the catchily-titled Long-Term Advanced Propulsion Concepts and Technologies (LAPCAT), otherwise known as the A2 project.

The jet is 142m long - twice as the length of the largest planes in service today - and carries more than 300 people.

The design is also being praised for its environmental credentials as it would burn a liquid-hydrogen fuel that gives off water vapour and laughing gas, instead of polluting carbon emissions.

Full article: http://www.stuff.co.nz/4391557a34.html

[Kelburn]

that'll never stick.

It will end up like HOTEL or Boeing SST

[creator2003]

I just dont think id be keen to jump on that ,just doesnt look like it would be a flyer ...

[FlyingKiwi]

Hmm, I thought I'd seen that design before... Behold:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=0901733&size=L

[K5054NZ]

Sadly so many great ideas/concepts go nowhere. You're right, The Boeing SST and HOTOL are two fine examples.

I'd love to see this get into service. I never flew Concorde - something which will sting for the rest of my life - so I'd like to give this a go.

Hehe.....hows about one for FS9? In Air NZ colours

[creator2003]

Which way do you think they would extend the NZAA runway or do you think one of these babys is just going to hover in to NZ ,i like how they gave a example of Auckland to the UK yeah right wheres it going land ?

[Anthony]

It looks ridiculously long, probably would be far too expensive to produce (and then too expensive to buy and to fly). Like the Concorde, it would also probably be doomed to eventual failure.

[deaneb]

Given the massive implications the A380's size had on airports around the world, I don't think a jet that long is going to be able to operate out of many existing airports. I guess it comes down to $$$

Deane

[pois0n]

Then the compressed hydrogen exploooooodes