I was expecting to see something Concorde scale, but I guess a private jet is a start.
Boom XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]
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Re: Boom XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]
#412Is it okay/usual for the test pilot to partake in a glass of champagne so soon after landing? On a side note: Channing Tatum is a shoe-in for playing the pilot, Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, if this ever gets made into a movie.
'Partake in' - you mean drink? What's the issue?
Re: Boom XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]
#413Earlier quoted context omitted.
There ar every few day flights from the US to Europe. A lunchtime flight arriving at 8pm is far nicer than 5 hours sleep on an overnight flight or the 7am flight. West bound being able to leave the office at 6pm and be in New York to pay the kids to bed is great.
Yes, the question is how many thousand dollars out of your own pocket great which would be the situation with most people.
It’s not about most people, it’s about the 1500 in C/F
Re: Boom XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]
#414Earlier quoted context omitted.
It worked because not just the development costs were paid for by the government, but acquisition costs were, too. Planes were given to the airlines for free, completely paid for by the states. Also, only be BA made good profit on it and only after mid-1980s. Air France could barely break even. If not the PR effect that put those airlines above all others as the only ones flying supersonically, they'd never make any…
Not taking away from your point, just for comparison: A British Airways first class LHR-JFK roundtrip is $10K today for an 8h flight. Supersonic would be 3h.
Is Boom aiming to be faster than the Concorde? I don't think so.
Their website says:
> Overture will carry 64-80 passengers at Mach 1.7
Also, using Google Flights, I priced LHRJFK on first class about T+1month for 7 days (Mon->Mon). It is about 5.3K USD round trip. I am surprised that it is so cheap. I guess that route is very competitive.
I don't understand the excitement on HN about Boom. The market is tiny. This is a terrible investment. What is the global demand for this aeroplane (if they ever build it)? Maybe... max 200. Look at the order book from the 1960s when the Concorde first flew. Less than 100 total orders. Are people forgetting about how incredibly loud is a sonic boom? It is unlikely that it will get rights to fly over land, just like the Concorde. Also, it is terrible for the environment. The Concorde burned fuel (passenger miles per liter) at roughly twice the rate of non-supersonic aeroplanes.
(Various edits.)
Re: Boom XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]
#415Earlier quoted context omitted.
Neither of those planes made more money than they cost. The Tu-144 was famously not reasonable at all.
Concorde at least made more money than it cost to operate (and maintain). The TU-144 made 102 commercial flights, with 55 of those carrying passengers -- the others I assume were cargo. Not 102 flights per day or month -- 102 flights TOTAL between the first commercial flight in December 1975 and retirement from passenger service in 1978 and from all commercial service in 1983. With 16 built, that's an average of 6 fl…
> Concorde at least made more money than it cost to operate (and maintain).
> Delays and cost overruns increased the programme cost to £1.5–2.1 billion in 1976, (£11–16 billion in 2023).
Re: Boom XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]
#416Earlier quoted context omitted.
Concorde at least made more money than it cost to operate (and maintain). The TU-144 made 102 commercial flights, with 55 of those carrying passengers -- the others I assume were cargo. Not 102 flights per day or month -- 102 flights TOTAL between the first commercial flight in December 1975 and retirement from passenger service in 1978 and from all commercial service in 1983. With 16 built, that's an average of 6 fl…
What cargo would justify a supersonic flight?
They often flew mail on it as their cargo.
But the plane was more a matter of national pride than something that made sense.
Re: Boom XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]
#417I haven't seen anyone directly address it in the comments here (or in the video): was an audible sonic boom noticeable on the ground during today's test flight?
Given that they were only authorized to fly in the "Bell X-1 supersonic corridor", I'd wager that sonic booms are fairly commonplace there. I doubt there are any residents around.
Re: Boom XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]
#418Is the word aircraft feminine? They keep saying “she” and it sounds weird.
Re: Boom XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]
#419A wonderful achievement, but the camera operator really should know how to focus for the money shot.
Re: Boom XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]
#420Is the word aircraft feminine? They keep saying “she” and it sounds weird.
It's a thing. You can selectively gender a creation or just a highly praised piece of property (e.g. boats). It implies fondness, respect and pride.