World's fastest passenger plane goes supersonic during tests

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(CNN) — The race to resume supersonic passenger flights nearly two decades after Concorde’s retirement was sparked by a spark of excitement Monday when aircraft manufacturer Bombardier unveiled high-speed performance while confirming the launch of its new business jet.

The Canadian company said the in-development Worldwide 8000 will be “the world’s fastest and longest range for purpose-built business jet.”

With a capacity of up to 19 passengers, a range of 8,000 nautical miles (14,800 kilometers) and a top speed of Mach 0.94, the arriving aircraft is expected to enter service in 2025, according to a statement from Bombardier.

The news comes after a Global 7500 test vehicle broke the sound barrier during a demonstration flight last May, reaching speeds of over Mach 1,015.

Supersonic Breakthrough

A view of the interior of the Global 8000 aircraft, currently under development by business jet maker Bombardier.

Bombardier Aviation

The plane, accompanied by a NASA F/A-18 pursuit aircraft, also became the first aircraft of the transport category to fly supersonic with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as a result of the flight, Bombardier said.

“The Global 8000 aircraft takes advantage of the outstanding features of the Global 7500 aircraft and offers our customers a flagship aircraft of a new era,” said Éric Martel, Bombardier president and CEO, in a statement released Monday.

The test flights for the Global 8000 have already started on Global 7500 test flights. Bombardier says the upcoming plane will also have a cabin altitude equal to 2,900 feet.

New Age

The coming plane is described as: "The world's fastest and longest range for purpose-built business jet."

The upcoming aircraft is described as “the world’s fastest and longest range for purpose-built business jet.”

Bombardier Aviation

Global 8000 is just one of many developments in the numerous efforts to increase the speed of passenger aircraft more than two decades after Concorde was retired.

Last year, United Airlines announced it could offer supersonic routes as early as 2029 after closing a deal to buy 15 supersonic jets.

Meanwhile, based in Colorado Boom Supersonic has completed ground tests on X-B1, the prototype aircraft for its Overture jet, designed to seat between 65 and 88 people, which aims to fly over 500 primarily transoceanic routes that will take advantage of the Mach-2.2. speeds of the aircraft.

Sadly, Florida-based aviation startup Aerion collapsed months after unveiling plans for a Mach 4+ commercial aircraft dubbed Aerion AS3 last year.

Correction: An earlier version of this story mischaracterized the time frame of Concorde’s retirement. Concorde aircraft were retired in 2003.

Top Image Credit: Bombardier Aviation

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