Spike S-512: How Fast Will The Supersonic Jet Be Able To Fly From New York To Paris?

Supersonic air travel feels simultaneously like our past and our future. Although it may have once seemed like an impossible feat, engineers cracked the code and broke the sound barrier back in 1947. Then in 1973, the first supersonic passenger plane, the Concorde, started jetting across the Atlantic at break-neck speed before retiring in 2003. For years after, no other supersonic passenger airplanes took its place, making something that was once a futuristic idea a thing of the past.

A company called Spike Aerospace plans to change that by bringing supersonic flights back to the people — or, at least, business travelers. Spike Aerospace is developing a new supersonic jet called the Spike S-512 Diplomat. Named as a nod to its elite target audience, the S-512 Diplomat will offer a luxurious and quiet flight that makes trips in about half the time that a traditional commercial airliner does. According to the company, the Diplomat will be able to zip from New York to Paris in under four hours. Business travelers will also be able to fly between London and Dubai, Singapore and Sydney, and even New York City to Los Angeles, all in four hours or less.

The Concorde was limited to mostly transatlantic flights because it produced disruptive and potentially destructive sonic booms. According to Spike Aerospace, the Diplomat can travel over cities because of "advanced engineering that reduces its noise signature to a mere soft thump, nearly eliminating the boom." Because the fuselage is insulated from the engine and outside forces, the cabin — which can hold up to 18 passengers — should also remain quiet throughout the flight. 

It's unclear how much a seat on the Diplomat will cost, but it probably won't be cheap considering the luxuries provided. Rather than the small windows you find on commercial jets, this new aircraft is designed to have panoramic, high-definition Multiplex Digital Screens that project sky views (as shown above). Spike is also at work to create a fuel-efficient and eco-friendly design to align with the commercial aviation industry's green initiatives.

Spike Aerospace flew a scaled version of the Diplomat to test its aerodynamics back in 2017, and the company hopes to reveal a supersonic demonstrator by the end of 2026. Vik Kachoria, president and CEO of Spike Aerospace, expects to be supersonically servicing passengers starting in 2031. Meanwhile, Boom Supersonic's XB-1 civilian aircraft also broke the sound barrier, and the company hopes to have its jet in the skies in 2029. Once a thing of the past, supersonic flight may soon once again be a part of our present-day reality.