Boeing's concept hypersonic jet could do New York-London in two hours

Flying at Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound could mean the Earth coming even closer together.

Photo courtesy Boeing

Flying across the Atlantic could soon take less time than watching most Hollywood movies. With American plane manufacturer Boeing showcasing a concept hypersonic jet, dreams of a short flight from New York to London could become a reality soon.

A journey which currently takes several hours, the trans-Atlantic region has been focussed on several plane manufacturers in a bid to cut travel time. Boeing is one of the companies taking the lead and recently promised a high-speed jet which could touch speeds of Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound, according to a report in Aviation Weekly. That is, roughly, around 3836 miles per hour against the current average of 600 to 750 miles per hour!

It is reported that while the concept is still at a very early stage, the hypersonic jet could be capable of not just flying at lightning speeds (quite literally here) but would also be able to cruise at an altitude of 95,000 feet and offer larger capacity than most long-range business jets.

And it is not just the Atlantic that the jet promises to tame in a matter of a few hours. It is reported that the jet could even cross Pacific in just three hours - significantly cutting down travel times seen currently.

The downside?

As mentioned, the development is in a nascent stage currently and while investors are reportedly enthusiastic, it could take another 30 years for the skies to welcome Boeing's hypersonic jet. For now, a display model would be put up at UK's Farnborough Air Show which is scheduled from July 16.