Boom

Virgin Galactic has placed an option to buy ten jets from supersonic passenger aircraft start-up Boom Technology.

Once developed, the 40-seat aircraft will be able to travel to London from New York in 3.4h.

Boom recently revealed the design of the jet that could fly at speed of 1,451mph and consume less fuel than Concorde, a turbojet-powered supersonic passenger jet built under an Anglo-French treaty and operated until 2003.

Boom also stated that apart from Virgin Galactic, it had signed another deal with an undisclosed European airline for 15 jets, reported Denver Post.

Compared with the usual commercial jets, this supersonic aircraft will fly 2.6 times faster.

Boom founder and CEO Blake Scholl was quoted by the publication as saying: "We’re building a supersonic airplane that’s actually affordable to fly."

"We’re building a supersonic airplane that’s actually affordable to fly."

Virgin Group officials told the publication: "We can confirm that The Spaceship Company will provide engineering, design and manufacturing services, flight tests and operations and that we have an option on the first ten airframes.

"It is still early days and just the start of what you’ll hear about our shared ambitions and efforts."

Boom is planning to fly a prototype aircraft in Colorado, US, by next year and conduct supersonic test flights near Edwards Air Force Base in California, US.

Image: Once developed, the 40-seat Boom aircraft will be able to travel to London from New York in 3.4h. Photo: courtesy of Boom Technology.