Elite Traveler Winter 2020

INSPIRE TOP JETS

Need for speed Humans developed the need for speed long ago. From the days of horse-and-buggy transportation — when 60 miles per hour seemed impossible, supersonic flight — at least over the continental US. First, Congress passed the Aircraft Noise Abatement Act of 1968. Acting under this authority, the FAA proposed a regulation to restrict the operation of civil aircraft at speeds greater than Mach 1, unless

by Dave Higdon

above the Earth at nearly supersonic speed. These aircraft offer the fastest travel currently available. We also provide some hints about what’s next in the perpetual quest for supersonic flight. Waiting in the wings, if you will, are several developmental aircraft racing for the hangar door to demonstrate supersonic flight. Unlike their predecessors, the modern-day aircraft designers of these machines intend to achieve their goals with little to none of the picture-frame-shattering sonic booms that brought an end to supersonic flight over the US. Welcome to the next step in the future of business aviation and the SSBJs — supersonic business jets — preparing to fly us beyond Mach 1.

dangerous and deadly — through to the breaking of the so-called ‘sound barrier,’ we have pursued a thirst for going ever faster. More than a half-century after a Bell X-1 rocket plane shuddered and shook its way through a newly discovered pressure wave with Captain Charles “Chuck” Yeager at the controls on October 14, 1947, we’re still pushing speed boundaries. Little did the pilot and observers know that the sonic boom that shattered the desert calm that morning also became the harbinger of doom for

authorized by the FAA. The regulation was finalized on March 28, 1973, but within aviation circles this was viewed as just a setback rather than a sunset for supersonic flight. Over the ensuing years, business aviation manufacturers continued to satisfy their clientele’s hunger for speed by offering aircraft capable of cruising within a cat’s whisker of Mach 1. Here, we examine 10 of those offerings, ideal for traveling in comfort and luxury while cruising miles

Head over to elitetraveler.com to see our extensive database of private jets on the market. Search using over 50 data points, such as interior length, cabin volume, landing distance, range and number of passengers, to choose the perfect jet model.

Please note, Mach is a speed measurement based on the speed of sound. Since sound travels at different speeds in different conditions, the calculations here are based on Mach 1 = 741.09699 mph

The Spike S-512 SSBJ