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Richard C.N. Branson pushing for world’s fastest civil aircraft

- first test flight planned for late 2017
The planned plane would be the fastest civil aircraft ever, succeeding (and surpassing) Concorde, with a top speed of Mach 2.2, or 1,451 MPH. That’s 2.6 times faster than any other airliner. Photo: CJ
‘Supersonic travel for both cargo and humans will result in many exciting and efficient benefits,’ Mr Richard C.N. Branson has said. Photo: CJ
‘Supersonic travel for both cargo and humans will result in many exciting and efficient benefits,’ Mr Richard C.N. Branson has said. Photo: CJ
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Virgin Islands Belonger and billionaire Sir Richard C. N. Branson is making a big push in commercial supersonic air travel.

Branson has announced that Virgin Galactic’s manufacturing team, The Spaceship Company, has partnered with Colorado-based Boom Supersonic to work on Boom’s new supersonic airplane.

Boom introduced its XB-1 Supersonic Demonstrator last week, a subscale prototype of the Boom supersonic passenger airliner.

“Baby Boom,” as the company calls it, is the world’s first independently developed supersonic jet and the fastest civil aircraft ever made.

Boom

The planned plane would be the fastest civil aircraft ever, succeeding (and surpassing) Concorde, with a top speed of Mach 2.2, or 1,451 MPH. That’s 2.6 times faster than any other airliner.

The Boom plane, which would have a ticket cost of $2,500 each way, would make the trip from New York to London in three hours and 15 minutes, down from a traditional time of about 7 hours. It would carry 45 passengers.

Its first test flight is planned for late 2017.

Mr Branson, who lives on Necker Island and also owns Mosquito Island in the [British] Virgin Islands, announced in March that Virgin had an option on Boom’s first 10 airplanes.

The Spaceship Company has been selected to apply its manufacturing, development and test capability for the Boom plane.

“Supersonic travel for both cargo and humans will result in many exciting and efficient benefits,” Branson said. “There are tremendous hurdles ahead and equally there are lots of terrific people and companies all working together to finally make supersonic travel a reality.”

 

20 Responses to “Richard C.N. Branson pushing for world’s fastest civil aircraft”

  • . (21/11/2016, 18:18) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    wow!
  • is he a bvislander? (21/11/2016, 18:40) Like (27) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why he can't bring a version of virgin atlantic here?
    • think about it (21/11/2016, 19:45) Like (10) Dislike (6) Reply
      @ is he a bvislander..... 1) Yes he is. 2) The Caribbean government have shears with LIAT. So basically with red tapes with won't happen in the near future. 3) Why should he bring one here? I though the bvi hate this man? why would you want something from someone you dislike?
    • Windy (25/11/2016, 13:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      the runway isn't long enough ! :-)
  • Yes (21/11/2016, 18:42) Like (9) Dislike (1) Reply
    I wonder if the cuban already booked his flight?
  • Really (21/11/2016, 19:28) Like (18) Dislike (4) Reply
    I mean it is his money and he do what he wants with it. But the question is what has he really done for the BVI besides donating a few computers to the VG school some years ago? After all he is making thousands of dollars here from his business.
    • tretretrete (21/11/2016, 21:24) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
      @really............ ask the big contractors / truck man etc who making big money over Moskito/Necker to donate.
      Like you said it's his money, let him as he please & the moment he give to someone/of foundation we all fast to ask (what he want now).
    • Struggling Man (22/11/2016, 09:31) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
      .................was was at the root of getting the golf course denied in Beef Island. This proposed golf course could have done wonders for our tourism product. Branson is only for Branson...........not we !
  • Music (21/11/2016, 22:46) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Interesting. Concorde was not a financial success. Like the channel tunnel it was never going to recoup its development costs, and nobody but UK and France Governments through BA and Air France bought it. USA gave up the idea before theirs got off the ground, and the Russian copycat crashed horribly.
    Good luck with this Sir Richard. There are lots more things you can waste your money on!
    • bronson (22/11/2016, 13:20) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Branson doesn't tend to waste too much of his own money. That's not the Virgin model. They invest relatively small amounts, use leverage and license the Virgin brand for quite a return. It effectively operates in the same way as private equity. That means they get big upside from the occasional runaway success (eg Virgin Records, Virgin Atlantic) but protection from the numerous failures (eg Virgin Cola, Virgin Brides, Virgin Vodka, Virgin Vines, Virgin Energy Shot, Virgin Clothing, Virginware, Virgin Cars, Virgin Pulse, Virgin Digital, Virgin Express). It is unclear at this point which side of the tracks Virgin Galactic will end up on.
  • Big Money man. (21/11/2016, 22:56) Like (30) Dislike (0) Reply
    Bronson into big money. Big investment big return. The ticket to london from new york per passenger $2,500 one way . I am sure he already look at the Caribbean market and realize it's not lucrative enough. We really need another Airline to compete with Liat. Liat killing we.
  • Just observing (22/11/2016, 06:41) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    He can have investments in both ways both in Europe and here in the Caribbean. He wont make $2,500 one way but doing something similar with aircraft similar to that used by Liat and other regional airlines can do so much not only for the BVI but the region on a whole.LATE needs competition. Why would someone Travelling to perhaps Antigua or SKB from STT want to take a boat from STT to Tortola to catch a flight to there. Perhaps it is appropiate or even cheaper going this route. Alan Stanford was doing it with Caribbean Star/Sun and it was sure doing well after a while but with dem garrots involve everything gone thru just like what they did with Liat as they felt liat belongs to them and them only I know what I am talking about.Mr Branson invest in something good if not airline for the Caribbean Region then perhaps boats taking passengers from island to island, not just among the VI islands but from BVI to SXM or to Nevis,etc. I know no one wants to go into business without the knowledge of not making a profit but taking it but to help so many less fortunate folks not like you and as you do so the Father above will pour our his blessings on you. Do something and you will be surprised by the turn around.
  • For Himself (22/11/2016, 10:29) Like (31) Dislike (1) Reply
    He is all about himself, its very obvious for some time now. He enjoys fooling
    off our government officials. Nothing here to show for it. His donations here are
    laughable to say the lease.

  • Kidding meh? (22/11/2016, 14:50) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    let Branson go up in that ting and fly to the moon for good
  • de silent one (22/11/2016, 20:18) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    It's so amazing that Mr. Bronson have all this money and you would have thought that he would have try and get or assist in getting a decent airline flying from the BVI to the US Mainland as the government is now trying to do. He have so much at stake here, or it's only for him to rake in the dollars.
    • Uh huh (23/11/2016, 00:02) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Mr Branson has his own jet. He doesn't need an airline to fly him anywhere. He has his own islands too, just try to popin and visit and see what a welcome you get.
  • tash (22/11/2016, 23:58) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why keep calling this man a belonger just because you like him, who can go to England and become an instant belonger? That term is meaningless.
  • Pilot (23/11/2016, 19:03) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Branson would love to get hold of flying saucer technology for this stuff, and the saucer pilots would love to wisk
    him away to another planet as a zoo speciman. ha ha ha.....


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