Two separate groups launched public efforts last week to develop supersonic business jets that could carry top-end business travelers, in cruise mode, twice as fast as current-production aircraft.

Aerion Corp. Vice Chairman Brian Barents described his company's SSBJ as "a blend of the new and proven," able to cruise at Mach 1.5, carrying eight to twelve passengers over distances of around 4,000 nautical miles. Earlier efforts to develop a supersonic business jet often foundered on the inability to find a suitable powerplant that could produce the necessary thrust at altitude with a low enough fuel burn to ensure sufficient range. Barents said Monday that the Aerion program is aimed at reducing technical risk and speeding development. To that end, Aerion is working with engine-maker Pratt & Whitney to pursue a modified version of the venerable JT8D engine to power the new SSBJ.

Powered By P&W JT8D Engines

The Aerion would have a maximum takeoff weight of 90,000 pounds, half of which would be fuel. Two JT8D-219s would provide 18,000 pounds of thrust each, giving the Aerion a balanced field length of under 6,000 feet under ISA conditions at sea level. The airplane would meet Stage 4 noise standards and could be in service five years after official program launch, according to Barents, who formerly headed Galaxy Aerospace and Learjet.

In addition to Barents, who brings some 30 years of marketing, sales and management experience in the business jet manufacturing industry, key members of the Aerion team include: Chairman Robert Bass, who will head up investor group funding; Richard Tracy, an aerodynamicist who has spent years studying supersonic natural laminar air flow; and Boeing veteran Michael Henderson, a director and chief operating officer of the company.

Bass, a native of Fort Worth, Texas, is a billionaire who is president of Keystone Inc. and founder of the Oak Hill investment partnerships, consisting of more than $10 billion in investments. Tracy serves as chief technology officer and a director of the corporation, which is headquartered - at least temporarily - in Reno, Nev. near where Tracy lives. Henderson previously served as chief project officer for enabling technologies at Boeing, where he led a team of 600 in developing advanced design and manufacturing technologies. From 1985-1995, he served as program manager for high-speed civil transport at Boeing, leading a team of 1,500.

Bass said there's a good business case for the Aerion program, citing a number of proprietary patents held by Tracy for laminar flow wings, demonstrable market demand and a good chance of success. He noted that the Aerion will not require high-temperature materials or complex systems to operate at speeds up to Mach 1.6.

Aerion officials indicated they plan to act like a general contractor, setting the parameters for the SSBJ, assessing market demand and requirements and selecting airframe and component manufacturers to serve as risk-sharing partners on the program. Aerion is in discussions with a number of potential partners and suppliers now, part of a process expected to continue for another 18 months. Those risk-sharing partners are expected to "bring their expertise to the table" and help ensure that the certification program succeeds.

The Aerion's straight, unswept wing design will give it good performance during supersonic cruise at Mach 1.5-1.6, and when the aircraft is operating over land, at speeds low enough (Mach .95-1.1) to avoid generating a sonic boom, Henderson and Tracy said.

Barents said Aerion developers are shooting for an aircraft that will cost about $80 million. At that price and given anticipated performance, he said there should be a market for more than 300 SSBJs over a 10-year period. The company is engaged in a market survey now and should have the results by February.