COMAC To Launch A Supersonic Aircraft

The industry could welcome another supersonic endeavour as COMAC studies the potential launch of such a plane.

Known as its C949, this proposed supersonic jet would be capable of 1.6 Mach. It would offer greater range than the beloved Concorde while reducing noise to align with sustainability endeavours.

The South China Morning Post highlighted the C949, which aims to show the world what COMAC can do with a radical new jet that will elevate the industry tenfold.

The revelations occurred thanks to engineers at COMAC publishing an academic report that outlined the blueprints for a 1.6 Mach jet aimed at offering supersonic flight.

If achieved, successful, and, more importantly, safe, this move would see COMAC propel itself above competitors for innovation; however, whether such a jet would be purchased remains another of the many unanswered questions.

COMAC joins a host of other competitor establishments that have been studying the re-launch of supersonic flying. However, none have succeeded in their endeavours, as they are still firmly in the research and testing phase.

For planemakers like COMAC, some of the biggest challenges range from costs to the overall manpower and technology adaptation and development for deployment on this C949 aircraft being studied.

COMAC says when it launches a supersonic jet, it wants the plane to have a 50% increase in range over what was visible through Concorde, jumping the range to almost 7,000 miles, which also sees the sonic booms reduced substantially in their overall decibels.

Regulatory hurdles are among the biggest challenges in bringing a new supersonic plane to life with sound and environmental regulations in play.

If COMAC is capable of reducing the sonic boom and, therefore, the overall sound of the plane, they feel they are more equipped to offer the said type than competitors.

COMAC vs Boom Supersonic

One of COMAC’s now biggest competitors in the space is through Blake Scholl and his Boom Supersonic endeavour, which has been established for some time.

This business also aims to bring supersonic flying back to the industry. Many of the industry’s largest airlines have already placed pre-orders, and others are reportedly interested.

Boom Supersonic has also completed test flights with its XB-1 demonstrator, which is crucial for testing and learning before it is adopted into the full-scale plane.

The full-scale aircraft to eventually be the plane carrying passengers is known as Overture and was expected to debut by decades end. However, this may be unlikely to occur on time due to delays and continued constraints.

Now, Boom Supersonic has a competitor, with the executive revealing that there is a real threat that China will build its own supersonic airliner to change the 21st-century aviation industry.

Despite this, Blake Scholl remains confident that not only will Boom Supesonic beat them to the race but will also provide a more worldwide aircraft that’s proven and adopted.

While companies attempt to launch a supersonic airliner and replicate what Concorde was able to do but in a cheaper, safer, and more robust manner, there are those onlookers who remain in a position where more questions than answers are provided about the genuine business case.