Aircraft
Supersonic bizjet designers troll for manufacturing partners
If paper was aluminum, glass and titanium instead of just paper, two Nevada-based groups developing supersonic business jet designs would have revolutionar

If paper was aluminum, glass and titanium instead of just paper, two Nevada-based groups developing supersonic business jet designs would have revolutionary aircraft ready to fly. To date, though, the specifications publicized by Aerion in Reno (Booth No. 1154) and Supersonic Aerospace International (SAI), with offices in Las Vegas, are little more than exciting numbers stemming from what the promoters call promising preliminary research and development. Neither is known to have actually cut metal for a flying prototype.

Aerion maintains its Supersonic Business Jet (SSBJ) program is on track for certification in 2015 and is backed by letters of intent. “Aerion continues to maintain a letter of intent backlog of about 50 aircraft,” a spokesperson said. “Only two deposits have been refunded since the beginning of the financial crisis.”

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