By Jonathan Davies
Airbus has filed patents for a new supersonic jet dubbed the 'son of Concorde'.
It is understood that the Concorde Mark 2 would be capable of reaching speeds of more than four times the speed of sound, or 2,500mph.
That means a flight from London to New York would take just one hour, opening up huge possibilities in global travel for businesses.
Airbus said the new aircraft would primarily be fore "business travel and VIP passengers, who require transcontinental return journeys within one day”.
The patent filing lodged to the US Patent Office described it as an "ultra-rapid air vehicle" which would cruise at more than 100,000ft, carrying 20 passengers for distance of up to 5,500. The aircraft would then enter normal air space close to its destination before landing.
And the Concorde Mark 2 sounds anything but a smooth, comfortable and relaxing ride. The patent filing described a "near vertical ascendant flight" until it breaks the sound barrier.
The original Concorde, which was built by Airbus' forerunner Aerospatiale and British Aircraft Corporation flew at 1,350mph, roughly twice the speed of sound, at an altitude of 60,000ft, carrying up to 120 passengers.
The first flight took place in 1976 and only 14 of the aircraft were ever used. It was withdrawn in 2003 following a crash in Paris in 2000.
