With a surging interest in supersonic commercial flights, aviation companies are scrambling for the top spot. Given the multitude of successful test flights, it won’t be long before we can enjoy significantly shorter travel times. Spike Aerospace promotes the S-512 Diplomat as “quieter, cleaner, safer, and more efficient.” These are certainly bold claims, but fascinating, nonetheless.
Back when the Concorde was still in service, it achieved supersonic flight as advertised, but with a glaring caveat. The moment something breaks the sound barrier, it generates a deafening clap we all know as a sonic boom. Hence, modern platforms strive to reduce or completely eliminate the physical phenomenon in question.
So as not to create a huge auditory disturbance along its flight path, the S-512 Diplomat relies on advanced engineering. According to the manufacturer, it “reduces its noise signature to a mere soft thump, nearly eliminating the boom — this is as close to silence as physics permits.
Meanwhile, the cabin ditches the traditional windows for Multiplex Digital screens. These panels provide immersive views of whatever is around the aircraft. Cutting-edge insulation systems cover the fuselage to minimize the sound of the engines and wind.
The standard layout can comfortably accommodate up to 18 passengers. As of our writing, the published maximum speed of this business jet is Mach 1.6. For now, it seems most of the supersonic aircraft in active development are around this size. Anyway, once the S-512 Diplomat hits the skies, expect it to cut flight times by as much as 50%.
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Images courtesy of Spike Aerospace
