As another era of supersonic air travel approaches, one of the niche industry’s small but growing players is looking further into the future – towards flights that are even faster.
Hermeus, an Atlanta start-up, is developing hypersonic aircraft that could take passengers on transatlantic routes from New York to London in 90 minutes non-stop and across the Pacific from LA to Tokyo in two hours and 45 minutes with a stopover.
Supersonic aircraft travel faster than the speed of sound, or Mach 1, while hypersonic planes travel at more than five times the speed of sound, or Mach 5.
"It is not an easy mountain we have picked to climb here," AJ Piplica, chief executive of Hermeus, said on the Acquisition Talk podcast last week.
"But when we looked at the technology, the national security applications of the technology and then the private funding environment that we are in today, it was pretty clear to us that we are in this perfect storm of timing to actually make something like this a reality today where five years ago this was not the case."
The global hypersonic technology industry is expected to grow to $12.18 billion by 2030, from $4.98bn in 2020, expanding at an annual rate of 9.7 per cent from 2021 to 2030, according to Allied Market Research.
A rise in the number of territorial conflicts and a surge in the development of hypersonic technology have boosted the global hypersonic travel market, it said.
Founded in 2018, the privately funded start-up is working on Mach 5 aircraft for both commercial and defence markets.
"Mach 5 aircraft have the potential to create an additional $4 trillion of global economic growth per year, unlocking significant resources that can be utilised to solve the world’s great problems," said Hermeus.
Still, the start-up's hypersonic passenger plane is still a long way off, with the first jet slated for commercial private travel in 2029.
It would be capable of flying at speeds of more than 4,800 kilometres an hour and have a flight range of 4,600 nautical miles.
The company is currently testing the engine, a General Electric J85-21 turbojet, which will form the core of its larger hypersonic engine.
The company is expanding beyond its headquarters in Atlanta, with a permanent presence already established in Washington, after a new $60 million partnership with the US Air Force, according to its website.
"To prevail in the contest with China, the US needs to leverage innovative companies at the nexus of commercial technology and national security,” said Daniel Kliman, a national security expert who joined the company to lead its operations in the US capital.
In March, Hermeus also teamed up with Nasa to carry out research and develop high-speed aircraft.
"While this partnership with the US Air Force underscores US Department of Defence interest in hypersonic aircraft, when paired with Hermeus' partnership with Nasa announced in February 2021, it is clear that there are both commercial and defence applications for what we are building," said Mr Piplica.
The start-up developing hypersonic aircraft is named after the Olympian deity Hermes, the swift-footed divine herald in Greek mythology who is often depicted as having winged sandals.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
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ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
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