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Supersonic passenger jets
超音速客機
Boom time
音爆時代
A flock of startups wants to break the sound barrier
一群初創公司想要突破音障
For 27 years Concorde epitomised jet-setting glamour. Yet its elegant delta wings came with the ear-splitting noise of thirsty military-derived engines; champagne was served in a cramped cabin with small seats; and cruising at twice the speed of sound, which just about halved the time for an Atlantic crossing, cost twice the regular business-class fare. Devotees shed a tear after its farewell flight in 2003, following a fatal crash in 2000 and the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001. Most business travellers shrugged.
在服役的27年里，協和式超音速飛機一直是噴氣式飛機領域的象征。不過，它優雅的三角翼伴隨著軍用的高耗能發動機震耳欲聾的噪音；雖然艙內的空間逼仄，座位狹小，但飛機提供香檳；它能夠以兩倍于音速的速度飛行，讓飛越大西洋所需時間幾乎減半，不過票價也比普通的商務艙高出一倍。在經歷了2000年的致命空難和2001年9月11日的恐怖襲擊后，2003年協和式飛機進行了告別飛行，發燒友們抱憾落淚。而大多數商務旅行者也只是聳了聳肩。
“Picking up where Concorde left off” is how Blake Scholl, chief executive of Boom Supersonic, describes Overture 1, the jet which the American startup is developing. It will propel up to 88 passengers 1.7 times as fast as sound while avoiding Concorde’s drawbacks. This appeals to United Airlines. On June 3rd it agreed to buy 15 planes, with an option for 35 more. jal and Virgin Atlantic have options to acquire 30 between them. Mr Scholl promises that supersonic fares, once only for the very rich, will now be “for everyone”—or at least those who can afford to fly business on the same route. Better aerodynamics, materials and engines are intended to keep operating costs 75% below those of Concorde. Civilian engines will propel the aircraft in relative quiet and use sustainable fuel to head off criticism from environmentalists.
“青出于藍而勝于藍”，美國創業公司BoomSupersonic的首席執行官布萊克·肖爾（Blake Scholl）這樣描述公司正在研發的飛機“1號序曲”（Overture 1）。它最多能搭載88名乘客，以1.7倍的音速飛行，同時還規避掉了協和式客機的不足之處。這一點對于美聯航而言極具吸引力。6月3日，該公司同意購買15架飛機，還取得35架飛機的購買權。日本航空和維珍航空共擁有30架飛機的購買權。肖爾承諾，曾經只專供富人消費的超音速機票現在面向了“所有人”，或者至少是那些負擔的起同樣航線上商務艙消費的人群。“1號序曲”更符合空氣動力學，材料更佳，引擎更強，因而運營成本比協和式飛機低75％。民用發動機讓飛機在相對安靜的環境中飛行，并會使用可持續燃料，以免遭到環保主義者的指責。
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