A COMMERCIAL jet has topped supersonic speeds for the first time since the Concorde, the company behind the feat has claimed.
Dawn Aerospace says its jet, the MK-11 Aurora, broke the sound barrier with a speed of Mach 1.1 (844mph) in a test flight on 12 November.
The uncrewed supersonic aircraft climbed to an altitude of 82,500ft (15.6miles) in just 118.6 seconds.
That speed is 4.2 seconds better than that achieved by a specially modified 5-15 in the 1970s.
According to the company, the MK-11 Aurora is now the first New Zealand-designed and built supersonic aircraft.
It also broke the record of the highest altitude reached from New Zealand, and the fastest climb to 66,000ft (20km).
Dawn plans to work the jet up to eyewatering speeds of Mach 3.5 (2685mph).
To reach such speeds, the MK-11 Aurora would have to fly at the edge of space, reaching an altitude of 327,360ft (62miles).
Upon achieving this, the jet would be used for microgravity research, atmospheric science, Earth observation and testing high-speed flight.
“This achievement highlights the immense potential of rocket-powered aircraft to achieve performance never seen before,” Stefan Powell, CEO of Dawn Aerospace, said in a statement.
“With flight test 57, we retired the final major technical risk in the Aurora program: vehicle dynamics through the transonic regime.
“We have now confirmed the Aurora as the highest climb rate vehicle ever built.
“This milestone sets the stage for Aurora to become the world’s highest and fastest-flying aircraft and paves the way for the first operational hypersonic aircraft, redefining what’s possible in aviation.”
It marks a new dawn for the era of supersonic travel, after the Concorde retired in 2003.
Commercial supersonic flight over land has been banned in the US for more than 50 years, and about 20 years in the UK, because of the noise of sonic booms.
In the UK, the aircraft were banned because they were deemed too noisy and extremely expensive to operate.
With restricted flight availability, fares were often too high for most customers.
Although a number of startups are trying to put such supersonic planes back into the sky, with regulators poised to review the bans.
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