China is developing a hypersonic passenger aircraft that is expected to reach a speed of 7,413 km/h, with commercial flights set to begin in 2035. The Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT) has reportedly started the development of this high-speed passenger aircraft, which is expected to significantly reduce travel times between China and the US or Europe. The concept, which is about a third longer than a Boeing 737-700, will only accommodate ten passengers. Similar to the Concorde, the Chinese concept features delta wings, but instead of a tail fin, it will be steered by winglets on the wings. The aircraft will be powered by two jet engines positioned on top of the fuselage, and it is expected to reach Mach 6, or six times the speed of sound.
China is not the only country working on developing hypersonic passenger aircraft, as the US and Russia are also working on similar models. However, China has an advantage in this field, as it possesses the wind tunnel with the highest wind speed in the world. The development team includes Liu Rui, who has also played a significant role in advancing China’s Mars and Moon programs. China has already showcased its hypersonic weapon during the 70th anniversary parade of the founding of the People’s Republic in 2019, which can reportedly reach the US mainland in less than 15 minutes. The knowledge gained from the development of this weapon will be used in the development of the hypersonic passenger aircraft.
The development of all key components is expected to be completed by 2025, with the fleet of hypersonic passenger aircraft for ten passengers set to begin operations in 2035. By 2045, China plans to introduce hypersonic passenger aircraft that can accommodate more than 100 passengers. With this development, China aims to revolutionize air travel and significantly reduce travel times between continents.
