New planes

[PatTheRat]

I just caught the end of a news article last week about how the technology is available to make a cross atlantic flight in like 30 minutes. I believe maybe NASA had input into this. Anyone have more info on this?

[amarillis]

I didn't hear a news report, but I read about a similar thing on the Dan Brown website (he had written about a fast plane in his novel Angels & Demons). It is described here:

 

http://www.danbrown.com/secrets/bizarre_facts/angels_demons.html

 

[Pinotage]

You're thinking of last months scramjet test by NASA, where the plane flew (briefly) at 10xspeed of sound.

 

At such speeds, a 30 minute cross atlantic flight could become a reality, but they'd still be a 3 hour queue at American immigration.  

[Pinotage]

Sorry - I meant to add a link to a news report and photo - see http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996686

[Pinotage]

Amarillis - I see Dan Brown says on the link you give Aerospace specialists predict civilian passengers will be riding in planes like this by 2006.

Bet you they won't.

[amarillis]

Pinotage - I can't see it happening either.

[slimjim]

And getting through immigration in the US will still take hours!