Supersonic private plane
 

Hello
I have tried to google this surprisingly to no avail so I guess this would be the place to ask.
I am looking for information about an 80's (?) project of a supersonic private aircraft. I'm sure that 2 or 3 prototypes were built and flown (with at least one cashing with an in-flight structural failure).

Any pointer most welcome.

Viper Jet...??

The Bede BD-10J/Peregrine Falcon I think is what you are referring to. Five built, three crashed...

There was also the British design known as the CMC Leopard.

Yes that was the one I had in mind - thanks
Didn't realise it never matched the announced specs...

Ian Chichester-Miles did not design it for supersonic flight so not this topic.

I'm not surprised that three out of five Bedes crashed.

BD-10 seemed to have enough problems subsonic...

The CMC Leopard is one of those might have beens. I recall watching the prototype getting airborne in a rather protracted manner at Farnborough on the original engines, with the projected engines might have been quite something. But then I guess all the mini bizjets now proliferating are cabin class. But then there was the PiperJet...

I'd have to agree with atakacs. With all the concern about Concordes sonic boom and the obvious lack of range of these private types supersonic flight was clearly out of the question.

One of the pilots at Down East International used to commute to work in an F-104, not sure if that counts. :O

Blossy,

The intensity of a shock compression wave depends upon the size of the aeroplane.

What sort of so-called "boom" does a high velocity bullet produce ?

I have no idea of the number of times I have flown myself in excess of M1.

As already said the CMC Leopard was not a supersonic design but I thought, mistakenly perhaps, the BD-10J was.

DRUK, F-104 commute? Darryl Greenamyer? Or my gliding instructor who test flew WGAF F-104s as a day job...:p

None of the above.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....39c9cd2a4f.jpg

Cowboy McCloskey, second from the right, next to the eponymous Ace McCool.

Ah, not familiar with them! :) I see they are forming the vanguard of the queue!

Slight thread drift, but many predict the next supersonic passenger aircraft will in fact be a biz jet - catering to the 1% (or more precisely, the 0.01%) for whom cost is no object. Not only is a biz jet not subject to the same financial limitations as a commercial airliner, the regulations are a bit more relaxed in several areas that would be relevant for a supersonic aircraft.
My educated guess is that we'll see a supersonic biz jet in service in the next ten years or so.

Just having a look, BD-10J was intended to reach Mach 1.4.

dook: What sort of so-called "boom" does a high velocity bullet produce ?

A very high and loud crack. Not in the least pleasant.

I have also been supersonic a few times. Total non-event inside.

Saw one in the shed at Bedford. Amazed at the small size of the engine intakes. The wing and fuselage skin was like a high performance car and the front seat beautifully contoured leather. Back seats I think were similar but crammed with instruments. No idea why they didn't persevere with it, probably because the really rich wanted even more comfort .