Prepare to Meet thy Boom by 2030?

Aviation has a fascinating ability to suck people, who should know better, into investing in fundamentally absurd ideas.

LEAVING ASIDE THE ONGOING delusion of flying cars, the two absurdities that continue to grip people's imagination are the notions that: Firstly, supersonic airliners will be with us before 2030. Secondly: that battery-powered multirotor vertical takeoff air taxies will be practical even earlier than 2030.

It was the rise of computer-assisted design (CAD) that has driven many of these more unlikely flights of fancy. All you need is a PC and a gifted graphic designer and a great website (see https:// boomsupersonic.com/) - and you have an aircraft design that will draw gasps of admiration and, if you have the right connections, suck in some government funding.

In South Africa we have the preposterous idea punted by, of all things, a plastic surgeon; Dr Reza Mia, of a vertical takeoff and landing business jet, called the Pegasus. Mia is determined to persuade others that his still etherware design can defy basic economic principles and gravity. In my view - if he ever managed to succeed in getting the billions of dollars of funding required to certify such an aircraft - it would never recoup its investment as it would still be a crap bizjet with, thanks to the weight and drag of the fans in the wings, terrible speed, range and payload - which are after all, key requirements for a successful bizjet.

Leaving aside for another article the inherent risks and compromises of VTOL, the focus of my incredulity this month is Supersonic Transports (SSTs).

Perhaps because the Concorde actually achieved supersonic passenger flight 50 years ago, people retain an enduring belief that SSTs are feasible.