Latest news with #C949
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
China's ambitious supersonic jet C949 set to revive the Concorde legacy, COMAC unveils plans for a faster, quieter aircraft by 2049
China's state-owned aircraft manufacturer COMAC has unveiled bold plans for the C949, a next-generation supersonic passenger jet designed to revolutionize global travel. If realized, the C949 could cut traditional long-haul routes like London-New York and Shanghai-Los Angeles by half, and do so in remarkable silence and efficiency compared to historic supersonic icons like the Concorde . The Concorde, jointly developed and manufactured by Great Britain and France, operated from 1976 to 2003. It was renowned for its speed, flying at over twice the speed of sound and cutting transatlantic flights to about three and a half hours. Despite its groundbreaking technology, the Concorde faced challenges such as loud sonic booms, limited range, high fuel consumption, and high operational costs, which eventually led to its retirement. The COMAC C949 aims to revive and surpass the Concorde's legacy by offering 50% greater range. Productivity Tool Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide By Metla Sudha Sekhar View Program Finance Introduction to Technical Analysis & Candlestick Theory By Dinesh Nagpal View Program Finance Financial Literacy i e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By CA Rahul Gupta View Program Digital Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By Neil Patel View Program Finance Technical Analysis Demystified- A Complete Guide to Trading By Kunal Patel View Program Productivity Tool Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By Study at home View Program Artificial Intelligence AI For Business Professionals Batch 2 By Ansh Mehra View Program A supersonic passenger jet is a type of airplane that can fly faster than the speed of sound, which is about 1,235 km/h (767 mph). This means it travels at speeds above Mach 1 , significantly reducing flight times compared to regular jets. For example, a supersonic jet can cut travel time between cities like New York and London from about 7 hours to just 3 hours. These jets face unique challenges like loud sonic booms, high fuel use, and the need to handle intense heat caused by flying so fast. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play this game for 1 minute and see why everyone is addicted. Undo Key features of the C949 supersonic airliner Supersonic speed: The C949 is projected to cruise at Mach 1.6 (about 1.6 times the speed of sound), bringing speeds just under 2,000 km/h. This could make possible journeys such as Beijing–Moscow in roughly 3 hours or Shanghai–LA in just 5 hours—routes that previously took over twice as long. Extended range: With an intended range of 11,000 km—significantly surpassing the Concorde's 7,200 km and the Russian Tupolev Tu-144's 6,500 km—the C949 is expected to serve many more city pairs globally without refueling. Noise reduction—A quieter boom: Past supersonic jets faced steep regulatory and public challenges due to loud sonic booms. COMAC claims the C949 will generate a boom of only 83.9 PLdB—approximately the noise of a standard hairdryer, and about 95% quieter than the Concorde. This is largely thanks to a patented 'reverse-camber' midsection, a needle-like nose, and specialized engine nacelles to scatter the shock waves and reduce boom intensity. Passenger capacity and luxury: The C949 targets a capacity of 28–48 passengers, making it more exclusive but nimbler for premium routes compared to the Concorde's 100–128 seats or the Tu-144's 140. Despite the smaller size, COMAC aims to carry up to 45 million passengers annually by the second half of the 21st century as the fleet grows. Technical innovations: AI-Driven Flight Controls: The aircraft will feature a new-generation AI-powered fly-by-wire system for enhanced aerodynamic management, ensuring stability at supersonic speeds, including automated compensation for sideslip angles. Advanced Structural Materials: To handle the extreme heat and stress of high-speed flight, the airframe will use titanium alloy and carbon composites—reducing weight by up to 30% compared to aluminum and boosting efficiency. Dynamic Fuel System: The C949 will shuttle its 42-ton fuel load among seven tanks in-flight to optimize center of gravity and aerodynamic efficiency. Timeline and development status COMAC first revealed the C949's design ambitions in March 2025, following the publication of detailed technical papers by its engineers in China's Acta Aeronautica Sinica journal. The company has targeted 2049—coinciding with the centenary of the People's Republic of China—as the target year for launch and entry into commercial service. Global supersonic race The C949 isn't alone in the world's renewed supersonic ambitions. The United States is progressing with the NASA/Lockheed Martin X-59 , designed to fly at Mach 1.5 (1,590 km/h) with a similarly quiet 'thump' rather than a boom, aiming for a 3 hour 44 minute transatlantic crossing. NASA 's data from the X-59 is expected to help global regulators decide new acceptable noise limits for future supersonic planes, further shaping the competitive landscape for commercial supersonic travel. Challenges and prospects Despite the promise, several hurdles remain: Live Events Environmental impact: The emissions and high-altitude pollution of supersonic jets remain controversial, especially as governments accelerate sustainable aviation goals. Noise compliance: Even at reduced sonic boom levels, regulatory approval for overland supersonic flights will be critical. High costs: Historically, supersonic travel has been expensive, making it accessible only to premium travelers. COMAC's C949, with its focus on quieter operations, advanced design, and longer routes, aims to address these issues and position China as a leader in the second golden age of supersonic flight.
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
China unveils supersonic jet that can fly from London to New York in THREE HOURS
China say the C949 could reduce Britain to New York journey time from the usual seven hours to less than half that, making transatlantic travel much quicker than it is currently China believes it can build a new mega-fast plane that will fly passengers from from London to New York in under three hours. The nation has joined the supersonic jet race, and says its C949 plane can transform transatlantic travel again. Designed by China's state-owned aircraft firm Comac, the plane will fly 1.6 times faster than the speed of sound, it has been claimed. Designers say it could travel an astonishing 11,000km at a time, boosting global tourism. According to reports in the country, the ambitious project also crucially aims to reduce the sonic boom to 83.9 perceived level in decibels - making it only as noisy as a standard hairdryer. It comes after a 'traumatised' family are stranded at Palma Airport after being told they can't board a Jet2 flight. The South China Morning Post report that the officials hope the aircraft can compete with big-money rival projects from Nasa and Lockheed Martin. However, should it get the go-ahead, travellers face quite a wait with an official launch date not expected until 2049, Globe Trender states. Inside, passengers would enjoy spacious, comfortable cabins equipped with incredible as well as advanced entertainment systems designed to handle the unique conditions of the hypersonic flight. But China aren't the only nation putting forward revolutionary air travel plans. Several aerospace manufacturers are competing to create the first supersonic jet since the British Concorde and they haven't got there first. Earlier this summer, it was claimed a A-HyM Hypersonic Air Master is set to transform air travel by cutting London to New York flight times to a mere 45 minutes. F lying at Mach 7.3-over 5,600 mph (9,000 kph), it is designed to carry 170 passengers. Spanish designer Oscar Viñals says the A-HyM would cruise at an altitude of 30,000 metres, far above conventional jets, using advanced heat-resistant materials like titanium and carbon fibre to withstand temperatures up to 1,000°C. Its innovative Sonic Boom Mitigation System aims to reduce the disruptive noise of breaking the sound barrier, potentially allowing supersonic-and even hypersonic-flights over land without disturbing communities below. Powered by a next-generation hydrogen-fuelled combined-cycle engine, the aircraft would blend turbojet, ramjet, and oblique detonation technologies for both speed and eco-friendliness. Although only a concept at this stage, the A-HyM illustrates how rapid breakthroughs in materials science, propulsion systems, and aerodynamics are making the prospect of ultra-fast and sustainable global travel increasingly plausible. According to Oscar Viñals: "This aircraft concept would allow its users not only to experience a unique flight at dizzying speeds in excellent conditions, but it would also allow them to "master" time, because a trip, for example, from London to Los Angeles would only take an hour and a half, from boarding at Heathrow international airport to disembarking at LAX (Los Angeles International Airport)." A plane is classed as having reached 'supersonic' speeds once it passes Mach 1. The Boom XB-1 is the first civil supersonic jet made in the US to break the sound barrier. The goal of crashing through the sound barrier, and the loud bang that happens when planes do, is part of the reason super-fast air travel proved difficult from a business perspective.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Business
- The Irish Sun
Now China enters supersonic passenger plane arm races with C949 jet that can fly from London to NYC in less than 3 hours
The aircraft looks set to rival projects from Nasa and Lockheed Martin RED CONCORDE Now China enters supersonic passenger plane arm races with C949 jet that can fly from London to NYC in less than 3 hours CHINA has thrown itself into the supersonic passenger jet race with its C949 plane that can zoom from London to New York in under three hours. The ultra-fast aircraft promises significantly less noise than the retired Concorde and 50 per cent further flight range. 4 China has unveiled its quiet supersonic jet with 50 per cent longer range than Concorde Credit: Supplied 4 The jet will fly 1.6 times faster than the speed of sound Credit: Supplied 4 Designed by China's state-owned aircraft company Comac the aircraft is billed to reach 6,800 miles - a much further stretch than Concorde's 4,500 mile capacity. This would allow the plane to fly non-stop from the UK to Malaysia. Meanwhile, the powerful jet is expected to fly 1.6 times faster than the speed of sound, allowing it to travel a staggering 11,000km at a time. This means it could fly from London to New York in less than three hours. The stealthy project also aims to reduce the sonic boom to 83.9 perceived level in decibels - equivalent to the sound of a hairdryer, according to the South China Morning Post. That is just one-twentieth of the Concorde's deafening boom. Concorde was blocked from taking overland flights following noise complaints, after civilians complained it was so loud it rattled windows and spooked livestock. Reducing the noise of the sonic boom could help it overcome regulatory barriers, and compete with rival projects from Nasa and Lockheed Martin. The aircraft, which is yet to make it off paper and onto tarmac, could advance China's role in the modern supersonic aviation industry. But, while plans were revealed in March, an official launch date isn't expected until 2049, Globe Trender reports. Before then the firm plans to unveil the C929 – a twin-aisle jet to rival Boeing's 787. And by 2039 it plans on rolling out a massive 400-seater C939 to compete with Boeing's 777X. While it's quieter than Concorde, it will fit just 28 to 48 passengers in its business class configuration - compared with the Nasa jet's 100-strong capacity. Boom 'son of Concorde' flies supersonic for first time The C949 will also blast slightly slower than its predecessor, which managed to top 1,450mph in its heyday. China's Aero Engine Corporation is separately developing a hypersonic jet, known as Nanqiang No 1, that may fly six times faster than the Concorde when it takes to the skies. The team first started working on the hypersonic jet in 2019, but are yet to make it go supersonic and reach speeds over Mach 1 (767mph). A supersonic jet is one that can travel faster than the speed of sound at Mach 1, while a hypersonic jet is specifically five times faster, at Mach 5. Why did Concorde fail? CONCORDE was the supersonic passenger jet considered the ultimate luxury in air travel. Air France and British Airways announced they would be retiring their fleet of Concorde planes on April 10, 2003. The plane had its first commercial flight on January 21, 1976, and was retired after 27 years of service and 50,000 flights. Several reasons led to the decision to retire Concorde. Air France and British Airways cited low passenger numbers and high maintenance costs. By the early noughties, the planes were outdated and expensive to run, despite being incredibly advanced when they were first introduced almost three decades previously. The 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001 majorly impacted passenger numbers, as people opted not to fly. Passenger numbers also fell after an Air France Concorde crashed just minutes after taking off from Paris in July 2000. The disaster killed all 109 people on board and four others on the ground. The plane ran over a small piece of metal on the runway, which burst a tyre and caused an engine to ignite. It was also the only aircraft in the British Airways fleet that required a flight engineer. Plans for C949 come as NASA's supersonic "Son of Concorde" plane inches ever closer to take-off. The X-59 jet will break the sound barrier when it flies - but won't produce a sonic boom, thanks to its unique design. When up and running, the aircraft will hurtle along at altitudes of at speeds of 937mph at 55,000 feet up. Nasa revealed it struck another milestone in the plane's journey toward the skies with crucial low-speed taxiing tests. The X-59 moved around purely under its own power for the first time at US Air Force Plant 42 on July 10. Taxiing is the final stage of ground tests before Nasa can take it up into the skies - and the maiden voyage is chalked for later this year.
Euronews
03-04-2025
- Business
- Euronews
What we know about China's plans for a new supersonic jet that can fly 50% further than Concorde
ADVERTISEMENT China has entered the race to usher in a new golden age of supersonic air travel with plans to build an airliner that will rival the Concorde, according to local media. As per reporting by the South China Morning Post, China's Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) has revealed blueprints for the C949 - a 1.6-Mach jet that could fly further and more quickly than the Concorde - in a recent academic paper. The paper said the project looked to achieve a 50 per cent range boost over the Concorde and is designed to make the plane fly as quietly as the noise level of a hairdryer. It will do this with a curved plane body that will weaken shockwaves to delay violent booms that could come from the aircraft, the SCMP report continued. Related New York to London in just over 3 hours: Is this net zero supersonic jet the future of air travel? Reducing the noise levels is a way for the plane to try and bypass regulatory barriers that ban supersonic flights, SCMP continued. Euronews Next is trying to independently verify these claims by reaching out to the academic journal that published the findings as well as COMAC but has not received any replies at the time of publication. Concorde flew just under 50,000 flights for carrier British Airline during its 26-year career. Dave Caulin/AP Other supersonic crafts in the works The Concorde, an Anglo-French supersonic airliner that first took to the skies on a test flight in 1969, made just under 50,000 flights for carrier British Airways during its 26-year career. The craft, with a maximum cruising speed of Mach 2.04 (around 2,180 km/h), boasted a flight time from London to New York of less than 3.5 hours instead of the regular 8 hours for a subsonic flight. There hasn't been a non-military supersonic aircraft in service since Concorde's retirement in 2003 but there are other supersonic projects now in the works, like the X-59, a joint venture between the US Space Agency, NASA, and US-based manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Related The 'quiet' jet from NASA that could usher in a new era of supersonic air travel Revealed last year, the aircraft flies at 55,000 feet (over 16,700 m) and produces sound equivalent to a car door closing, according to the jet's designers. The X-59 is designed to travel at speeds of Mach 1.4 (around 1,730 km/h), slower than Concorde and the proposed Chinese C949. In March, NASA announced that the X-59 successfully passed an engine speed hold, or cruise control test, a last step before a first flight that should happen later this year. A mock-up of Boom's Overture aircraft in commercial service at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, France. Boom Supersonic "We needed to verify that speed hold worked not just within the engine itself but as part of the entire aircraft system," Paul Dees, NASA's X-59 deputy propulsion lead at the agency's Armstrong Flight Research Center, said in a statement. "This test confirmed that all components – software, mechanical linkages, and control laws – work together as intended". Related Bombardier unveils 'fastest passenger jet since the Concorde' following supersonic test Private company Boom Supersonic wants to launch its supersonic jet, the Overture, before the end of the decade. ADVERTISEMENT In test craft XB-1's first test flight in January , the aircraft flew up to 1,207 km/h to an altitude of over 35,000 feet (10,600 m) and was able to land without a sonic boom, the company said. There has already been commercial interest in the Overture, with Boom having already signed deals with United Airlines , American Airlines, and Japan Airlines to deliver the aircraft once it meets the required safety standards. The European Commission funded several projects to study noise reduction and the environmental impacts of supersonic flights, like the 2022 RUMBLE project, the 2020 SENECA project, and the ongoing MORE AND LESS project.
Al Bawaba
03-04-2025
- Business
- Al Bawaba
China develops first silent supersonic passenger plane
Published April 3rd, 2025 - 06:47 GMT ALBAWABA – The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC), a Chinese state-owned aerospace manufacturing company, is developing the first silent supersonic passenger plane. Also Read China successfully launches new data transmission satellite New C949 supersonic passenger plane According to Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica, a Chinese monthly journal, COMAC, a Chinese state-owned company, is currently developing a supersonic passenger aircraft with low noise levels. The company is working on its new C949 supersonic passenger plane, which will be slower than the legendary Concorde, but it will be 20 times quieter, allowing it to fly over populated areas with minimal disturbance. C949 aircraft will be equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to help maintain stability during flight. (Comac) Other sources revealed that the new C949 aircraft could be launched by 2049. The new supersonic passenger plane will feature an elongated nose and a specially designed midsection to absorb shock waves. As a result, the aircraft will emit less noise when flying at high the C949 aircraft will be equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to help maintain stability during flight. The aircraft will also feature approximately seven fuel tanks with a total capacity of 42 tons. According to the company, the C949 will be able to fly at speeds of up to Mach 1.7 (1,805 km/h), slower than the Concorde, which previously flew at approximately Mach 2. However, the new aircraft will have a 50% greater range—capable of flying from Shanghai to Los Angeles in just five hours. Also Read China's Manus AI can generate a 'Zelensky-White House Debate' game © 2000 - 2025 Al Bawaba (
