Aircraft
European SSBJ study holds promise but powerplant remains undefined
High-speed aircraft (Hisac), a European research project to study the feasibility of a supersonic business jet (SSBJ), is coming to a close at the end of t

High-speed aircraft (Hisac), a European research project to study the feasibility of a supersonic business jet (SSBJ), is coming to a close at the end of this year, having shown better understanding of the achievable performance but without an answer to the big question mark on engines. Dassault has led the program, which counts Italy’s Alenia Aeronautica and Russia’s Sukhoi among its other major stakeholders. A total of 37 organizations, including engine makers Rolls-Royce and Snecma, participated in the five-year effort.

The program studied various concepts for supersonic flight. Some were optimized for overwater supersonic flights, with laminar, variable-geometry or delta wings. Other concepts targeted overland supersonic flights, thus focusing on reducing the sonic boom. Also envisioned are transonic concepts in the Mach 0.95 to 1.2 range.

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