Aerion Adds Third Engine to SSBJ Concept

Stephen Pope

Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at 09:10 PM ET

Verified

** Aerion AS2**

Key Takeaways:

Aerion has revealed a new three-engine configuration for its supersonic business jet project, now named the AS2, featuring a larger cabin and an increased range of up to 5,000 nm.
The redesign moves away from older, louder engines to a trijet setup using modified existing turbofans, aiming for lower noise and shorter takeoff rolls.
Due to these changes, the projected price of the AS2 has risen from $80 million to over $100 million, and Aerion has not yet secured a manufacturing partner.

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Aerion has revealed a new three-engine configuration for its long-gestating supersonic business jet project, now renamed the AS2 and featuring a larger cabin and more range. The Reno, Nevada-based company revealed the new configuration at EBACE in Geneva, although it did not appear to be any closer to securing a manufacturing partner for the airplane.

The original Aerion jet would have flown with two Pratt & Whitney JT8Ds, but the company now concedes that these engines, first operated on the Boeing 727 and MD-80 jetliners, aren’t quiet or environmentally friendly enough to make them a viable choice for a future supersonic bizjet.