AVIATION/ EADS UNVEILS HYPERSONIC PAX JET MODEL

Aerospace group EADS, owner of Airbus, has unveiled a model of a hypersonic jet that flies above the atmosphere, yet takes off from a regular runway. "It is not a Concorde but it looks like a Concorde, showing that aerodynamics of the 1960s were very smart," said EADS' chief technical officer at the Paris Air Show. The "Zero Emission Hypersonic Transportation" (Zehst) would potentially be able to transport 50 to 100 people between Paris and Tokyo in 2.5 hours. By flying above the atmosphere and using biofuel to get the plane off the ground initially, the EADS said it hopes to avoid the supersonic boom and pollution Concorde was notorious for. "When you are above the atmosphere nobody hears anything," the EADS officer said. The plane, being developed in collaboration with Japan, is being primarily designed with the business market in mind. The plane would take off using a regular turbofan engine, before rocket boosters kick in to start a sharp ascent, sending the plane soaring above the atmosphere. Ramjet engines, currently used in missiles, will then take the plane up to altitudes of 32km as the plane cruises at speeds beyond Mach 4, or 4x the speed of sound. After a gliding descent, the turbofans will reignite to enable landing. EADS expects to have an unmanned demonstrator by 2020. However, the head of EADS said it could be another 30-40 years before commercial flights are a reality.