Aerion Corporation is an ambitious group of people who want to produce a supersonic business jet.

Aerion has been around for quiet a few years and continues to take deposits for the 8- to 12-seat aircraft it says will be capable of flying more than one and a half times faster than the speed of sound. The company has already received more than 50 deposits totaling more than $4 million. But it hasn’t found a manufacturing partner yet to help build the aircraft.

With the Concorde relegated to museums, there isn’t a supersonic aircraft available for anybody outside of the military who feels the need for speed.The Aerion jet is designed to cruise at speeds up to 1.15 Mach overland without producing a boom on the ground, and at speeds up to 1.6 Mach in other areas. Over the continental U.S., where regulations require speeds below Mach 1, the aircraft can cruise efficiently just below the speed of sound, offering economies comparable to today’s large business jets. The aircraft seats eight to 12 passengers in stand-up comfort and has a range in excess of 4,000 nautical miles.

Aerion continues active development of the jet, expecting to certify the airplane by 2015. Recent wind-tunnel tests have bolstered the wing design critical to making the aircraft efficient at speeds above and below the speed of sound.

The rigidity and the durability of the Aerion supersonic business jet are due to the use of materials of latest technologies. For instance, the wings of the aircraft are made of carbon epoxy that enables the controlling power of the aircraft. The aircraft contains a coated metal that will support its erosion resistance power.

This supersonic jet will fly from coast to coast within a short span of time and the speed is responsible for its straight wing design. The aircraft will take off from various business airports that will have runways measuring within six thousand feet. The cabin size of the Aerion supersonic business jet is quite comfortable and will fit about twelve passengers.

Unlike the Concorde, which could only fly to certain airports through the world because of its operative requirements, this supersonic jet is designed to comply with environmental, sound and airport regulations everywhere. It use the Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 engines feature take 4,600 miles range over 45,400 pounds of fuel. It will be delivered in 2014, at $80,000,000 price tag for rich guy. The first unit has just been purchased by Sheikh Rashid, the ruler of Dubai.

The South African Police Services bought a R150-million top-of-the-range business private jet so that their top brass can fly to the opening of new police stations and other functions.

The luxury aircraft will be used to usher cabinet ministers and senior officials around South Africa. However, the purchase of the jet has already resulted in serious problems as there have been complaints. Some are speculating why the government has used such a large amount of money for the plane.

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa revealed his department’s extravagant spending in a written reply in Parliament.

He confirmed that his department had bought a Cessna Citation Sovereign private business jet in February last year to fly senior cops and Cabinet ministers around the country and abroad. Mthethwa, his deputy, Fikile Mbalula, and a number of high-ranking police officials use the aircraft regularly.

Firstly, in a written reply to Parliament the Minister stated that the jet was purchased in February 2008. Now this was long before he was appointed to the police portfolio. Whether the decision was approved under his predecessor, the Minister will not shy away from responding to any financial decision that might have taken place before he assumed office.

For the record, this is not Minister Mthethwa’s private jet, but a South African Police (SAPS) jet and government property. In the written reply, he outlined that the jet’s transportation were all official and operational duties and at no certain point was the jet used for private purposes. The national commissioner has also made a provision that this aircraft can be utilised by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for specific missions where necessary.

The jet has been effectively used for amongst other purposes: transportation of members of the special task force to hostage situations, for example in Eastern Cape; transportation of police leadership and management; transportation of joint operation and intelligence structure to provinces to evaluate the state of readiness of security personnel regarding the national and provincial elections in 2009; as well as various events such as the FIFA 2009 Confederations Cup and planning for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

 Commercial and private aircraft are marvels of modern engineering, but typically they are fuel-guzzling beasts. As the world moves toward a future of alternative energy and alternative fuels, many are hoping to give the airplane a green makeover. Some are focusing on biofuel-powered aircraft. Others are focusing on using alternative energy, chiefly solar power to power passenger aircraft.

Replacing existing aircraft with solar powered planes is a long-term strategy to reduce carbon emissions. Achieving zero carbon passenger flights will not happen overnight. And no single initiative can provide all the answers. But the airline industry was born by realising a dream that people could fly.

There have been a handful of past solar aircraft, but most have relied on first storing energy in batteries, then flying (one example is the Sunseeker from the 1990s). The HB-SIA, as the new aircraft is called gets enough charge directly from the panels to take off during the day. It does utilize charge stored in batteries to power night time flight. It flies at a relatively slow speed of 28 mph to maximize energy efficiency. The design is intended to be able to fly for multiple days without stopping. 

Last year, A solar-powered aircraft developed by the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich has flown from Zurich to London, setting a world record.The 2.6-kilogram autonomously controlled Sky-Sailor flew more than 27 hours to complete the 874.4 kilometre journey at an altitude of between 200 and 400 metres.It was not the first aircraft of its kind to fly more than 24 hours, researchers said, but was the first to do so without using thermal winds or altitude gain before nightfall. On the craft’s 3.2-metre wingspan are 216 silicone solar cells able to deliver up to 90 watts of power during peak sunlight. The power consumption of the aeroplane is 16 watts at level flight.

 
We can already see the potential building blocks for a carbon-free future: along with solar power, other exciting initiatives include progress in fuel cell technology, and fuel made from biomass. By working together with a common vision, an even greener industry is absolutely achievable.

If successful, the aircraft is expected to prove popular among global carriers, including Middle East airlines. But it’s unclear when the plane would become operational in this region.

Each year, a large number of individuals consider chartering a private jet. While many wish to do so, there are many who end up booking reservations aboard a traditional commercial airline. One of the many reasons for this is the cost of chartering a private jet. It is no secret that chartering a private jet is expensive. You could easily spend anywhere from one thousand dollars to ten thousand dollars for a round trip. But, did you know that there may be a cheaper way for you to charter a private jet? There is and that way involves a term that is referred to as ride sharing. 

The private jet industry has introduced the “Share a Jet” concept, which allows passengers to cut costs and avoid PR problems whenever they board private jets.

When you log on to sites like shareajetexchange.com and plug in your desired destination along with the other details, including times and number of fellow passengers. At the opposite end of the exchange are private jet charter companies or jet owners who log in an offer shares of the flights for sale. The website matches the jet companies / jet owners with the passengers.

Although one of the main reasons why private jets are chartered is because of privacy, the other reason is for ease of use. Chartering a private jet allows you to bypass long airport lines. That is why many private jet chartering passengers are more than willing to allow to strangers to share a ride with them, because it is still convenient. Even if ride sharing involves sharing a privately chartered jet with five people, it is still better than a commercial plane full of people, which could include anywhere from fifty to two hundred other passengers.

Despite being able to save you a considerable amount of money, there is a disadvantage to ride sharing. That disadvantage is that your privately chartered jet really isn’t considered so private anymore. While not everyone minds giving up a little bit of their privacy, you need to examine whether or not you really want to. To do this, it is advised that you examine your trip.

Jet chartering is an incredibly efficient way to travel, every bit as safe as commercial airlines. we are going to have a safety issue in two or three years’ time when the new very light jets come out in force. Many of the people who’ll be buying them will be entrepreneurs and professionals traveling on business trips. They have more on their minds than flying aircraft. When you get owner-flown planes the accidents go up significantly.

Although privately chartered jets come highly rated and recommended, there are still a few issues that you need to examine, such as safety. It is no secret that flying the friendly skies can be dangerous. That is why it is advised that you keep safety in mind, when arranging the chartering of a privately owned jet.

When it comes to examining safety, there are many travelers, who wonder how it is possible to go about doing so. While examining private jet chartering safety may seem like a long and complicated task, it doesn’t have to be. There are a number of different ways that you can go about examining safety, without having to make it a large hassle or have it take up a large amount of your time.  

When examining the safety history or track record of a private jet chartering company, you are also urged to perform a standard internet search. When doing this search, you will want to search with the name of the jet chartering company that you would like more information on. Your search will not only provide you with links to that company’s online website, but it should also give you access to other valuable information. This information may include news reports or accident summaries, if and only if the jet chartering company in question was involved in an air travel incident. If you do not find any accident reports, there is a good chance that the jet chartering company in question has a clean safety record.

If possible, meet the pilot in advance to gauge your reaction to his competence. Ask for and verify personal references for the company and the pilot and never hesitate to investigate the company and any complaints which may have been logged with the Better Business Bureau, FAA, or other entity. Time permitting, search the internet for personal reviews and testimonies of the company or aircraft, but be sure to read these accounts with caution due to their personal and possibly fraudulent nature.