Supersonic boom for UK groups

BRITISH aerospace companies are in line to partner Boeing to build a supersonic plane. BAE Systems and Smiths are expected to be told by the end of the year whether they have a key role in the $20bn (£14bn) Sonic Cruiser project.

The plane, capable of carrying 250 passengers, will cut two hours off the journey from London to Singapore and is expected to be flying in 2008. Senior sources at Boeing's manufacturing base in Seattle said BAE Systems was already helping while talks with Smiths were progressing well.

Walt Gillette, Boeing's vice-president in charge of the project, said: 'We have been impressed with the work and the interest of these companies. No decision has been made yet, but we will decide by the end of the year.'

Orders could be worth hundreds ofms of pounds to UK companies. Derby-based Rolls-Royce is already working on a new quiet and powerful 'green' engine for the Sonic Cruiser. BAE Systems also has a 20% stake in Airbus, which is building the 555-seat A380, due to take to the skies in 2004.

Twelve of the world's top airlines, including Virgin and British Airways, are in talks with Boeing about buying the Sonic Cruiser.

Wind tunnel tests have shown it could break the sound barrier without any vibration problems, allowing pilots to go supersonic over the sea if they had to make up time. While the Sonic Cruiser is capable of speeds faster than sound, in practice the plane will fly just below Mach 1.

Gillette said the Sonic Cruiser would become the first of a family of planes that would eventually be capable of flying at least as fast as Concorde, which travels at twice the speed of sound.