Some more info and news quotes:.......
Flying at speeds of Mach .95 or above over extended ranges, the airplane will provide passengers with greater flying comfort. Environmental benefits include landings and takeoffs quieter than Stage 4 airplanes. Seating - three classes: 100 - 300. Range: Greater than 9,000 nautical miles (16,668 km). Maximum cruising Altitude: Mid-40,000 foot level or higher.
Boeing Executive Says Sonic Cruiser Will Be A 'Good Neighbor' Airplane ....
LONDON, July 10, 2001 - Boeing's potential new "sonic cruiser" airplane will have fuel effeciency similiar to today's long-range jets, and will offer several other environmentally-friendly advantages, said John Roundhill, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president of Marketing for the new airplane program.
Speaking to members of the Royal Aeronautical Society in honor of the historical contributions to aviation of Sir Thomas Sopwith, Roundhill addressed the environmental requirements of the proposed new airplane.
"The sonic cruiser's fuel efficiency will be similar to the newest, similarly-sized airplanes being delivered today," he said.
Boeing also projects the proposed airplane will have lower nitrogen oxide emissions than today's airplanes, Roundhill said. Local air quality near airports also should be improved because the airplane's unique configuration and improved climb performance will mean less time spent in airport holding patterns.
Envisioned as a long-range airplane linking more pairs of cities directly, the sonic cruiser will allow more direct flights. This, in turn, will mean fewer takeoff and landing cycles, greater fuel efficiency and a reduction in the associated emissions.
It also will reduce airport community noise, making it a "good neighbor" for those living near airports, Roundhill said. It will be quieter than upcoming Chapter 4 noise standards and current airport-specific requirements.
The proposed airplane will fly at speeds of up to Mach .98 (approximately 98 percent of the speed of sound) or about 15 to 20 percent faster than current commercial jet airplanes. Higher cruising altitudes -- in the mid-40,000-foot range - will offer a smoother, more comfortable ride. This should allow the airplane to fly over slower air traffic, transporting travelers sooner to their destinations all over the world.
Boeing unveils the future at Paris airshow...
PARIS, June 19, 2001 - The Boeing Company today unveiled a large, detailed model of its newest commercial airplane, the sonic cruiser, at the Paris Air Show. The unveiling, by Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally, concluded a program that also featured noted futurist and author John Naisbitt.
"This airplane is advanced technology's latest and best answer to the question 'how do people want to fly?' This is the airplane our customers have asked us to concentrate on," Mulally said. "They share our view that this new airplane will change the way the world flies as dramatically as did the introduction of the jet age."
The sonic cruiser is expected to fly at speeds of up to Mach .98 (98 percent of the speed of sound) or faster over extended ranges. The faster speeds will reduce flight times by approximately 20 percent, shortening air travel trips by about one-hour for every 3,000 miles flown. The airplane's long-range potential of 9,000 nautical miles (16,670 kilometers) or higher means passengers will be able to fly directly to their destinations, avoiding congested hubs and the delay and inconvenience of intermediate stops.
The model, a 1/40-scale replica 6 feet in length, reveals a sleek, innovative design that includes a large wing placed farther back on the fuselage than today's jetliner designs, and a pair of canards -- small, wing-like extensions -- near the nose of the airplane. Two engines are placed at the rear of the airplane.
Naisbitt, the author of the best-selling Megatrends and, most recently, High Tech/ High Touch, introduced Mulally with remarks about how key trends are reshaping the world, including air travel and travelers' expectations and habits. Naisbett commented on the trends of instant and direct connectivity, a world "menu" of cultural choices available as part of daily life, and an "experience economy" in which people increasingly transcend temporal, spatial and financial limits to do the things that interest them, enabled by new technologies and new ways of thinking.
"We are moving into the Internet world, and that world is about bringing people together," Naisbitt said. He described technological breakthroughs like the sonic cruiser as enablers of connectivity, an assessment with which Mulally agreed.
"Air travel is about bringing people together," Mulally said. "That's what it comes down to. And the sonic cruiser will help us take air travel and bringing people together to a new level."
The Paris Air Show, historically a prime showcase for Boeing and other aerospace manufacturers, continues through June 24.
New Boeing aircraft to include range of possibilities
SEATTLE, April 26, 2001 - Product improvements aimed at increasing airplane speed and range always have been at the top of airlines' "wish lists." Boeing again is responding to its customers' needs - this time with the new, faster airplane it unveiled last month.
While the company will work with airlines to determine the new airplane's final configuration and operational performance targets - much like it continues to do with the highly successful 777 program - it is clear this new airplane will change the way the world flies.
The new, faster airplane will be able to provide faster service on any route. The airplane will cruise 15- to 20-percent faster than today's airplanes. But one question now under consideration is this: What range should the airplane be designed to fly?
Today's long-range airplane can fly from 6,600 to 8,500 nautical miles (12,223 to 15,742 kilometers) at speeds between Mach 0.80 and Mach 0.85. The Longer-Range Boeing 777-200, due to enter service in 2004, will be the first airplane to open routes as far as 8,810 nautical miles (16,316 kilometers). With speeds of Mach 0.95 or higher, the new airplane proposed by Boeing will make trips even quicker on any existing routes and may introduce entirely new routes that are 9,000 nautical miles (16,668 kilometers) or farther.
Should airlines and Boeing agree that 6,000 nautical miles (11,112 kilometers) is the appropriate solution, the airplane will make faster flights between cities like Tokyo and Chicago, Los Angeles and Paris, London and Cape Town, South Africa, and London and Tokyo. Trip times over these routes will be reduced by one hour and 35 minutes with the new airplane.
If 7,000 nautical miles (12,964 kilometers) is chosen as the target, additional city pairs will become possible: London-Singapore, Chicago-Beijing and New York-Tokyo. With the new airplane, flying time on these routes will be reduced by one hour and 50 minutes.
If an additional 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 kilometers) is added for a total of 8,000 nautical miles (14,816 kilometers), the airplane will serve the following city pairs: Los Angeles-Sydney, Los Angeles-Hong Kong and Hong Kong-New York. Using the new airplane, two hours could be saved on these routes.
Should the decision be made to design for a capability of 9,000 nautical miles (16,668 kilometers), the new airplane will make possible non-stop routes such as Singapore-Los Angeles, Los Angeles-Bangkok and New York-Singapore. These trips will take approximately 16 hours, 25 minutes.
If even longer range is required, the airplane will be configured to fly more than 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 kilometers). This will open service between London and Sydney for the first time, as well as between Sydney and New York. Such 10,000 nautical mile (18,520 kilometer) non-stop trips will take a little over 18 hours. Today, it takes much longer and requires a layover to fly from London to Sydney.
Boeing Focuses Commercial Airplanes Long-Range Product Strategy
SEATTLE, March 29, 2001 -- Boeing Commercial Airplanes is focusing new product development efforts on a faster, longer-range airplane, President and Chief Executive Officer Alan Mulally announced today.
"This is the airplane our customers have asked us to concentrate on," Mulally said. "They share our view that this new airplane could change the way the world flies as dramatically as did the introduction of the jet age."
The potential for airplanes larger than the current 747 has caused the industry to look carefully at long-term requirements for long-range, twin-aisle airplanes, Mulally said.
"In that context, we have had detailed conversations with our customers, and it is very clear that they would strongly value an airplane that can fly faster, higher and more quietly over very long ranges," he said.
The ability to fly at speeds of Mach .95 or faster over extended ranges will allow passengers to fly where they want to go, when they want to go - directly to their destinations, avoiding congested hubs and without the hassle and delay of intermediate stops.
"When we combine higher speed, longer range, the comfort of flight at higher altitudes, and the environmental benefits of quieter landings and takeoffs, we have an airplane that will open a new chapter in commercial aviation," Mulally said. "We are changing our new product development efforts to focus more strongly on this airplane that has caused such excitement among our customers. It will be an ideal complement to our current family."
Mulally said the market "continues to show us that our current product family is very strong, offering airlines the right mix of flexible and capable airplanes to meet their needs. As always, we will continue to add improvements to those airplanes.
"In our conversations, we have received clear direction from our customers that, with continued improvements, the 747-400 family will satisfy the majority of their large airplane needs," he said.
A higher-gross-weight version of the 747-400 with an improved, 777-style interior already has been launched and will be delivered to Qantas in November 2002. Boeing also is studying aerodynamic improvements, higher gross weights and new engines that would allow the 747 to fly more than 8,000 nautical miles, and offer new opportunities to utilize overhead space.
"We also will continue to protect the ability to do a larger 747 if and when our customers tell us they need one," Mulally said.
He added: "Because we are making the faster airplane our highest priority, we have asked Walt Gillette, currently the 747X program manager, to lead the development of this exciting airplane."
The 777 is selling at a record pace. The airlines are finding its capability, economics and passenger-pleasing attributes to be a compelling package for the traveling public. This will be enhanced further when the Longer-Range 777-200 and -300 airplanes enter into service in late 2003.
Mulally said that customers also are very pleased with the performance of the new 767-400 airplane, and do not require additional range.
"Therefore," he said, "we are slowing development on the Longer-Range 767-400ER, a proposed re-engined version of the 767-400. The highly capable 767 family will continue to serve the airlines very well."
Added Mulally: "I am excited that our Boeing team is at the point where our airplane design and manufacturing technology have come together to enable the next major step in the industry's future. This new faster airplane is one of the most tremendous opportunities we have seen to bring even more value to the world's travelers."
[ 22 July 2001: Message edited by: buzz light year ]