If you’ve ever wanted to travel to New York in the same time it takes to watch The Godfather: Part 2 then we’ve got some good news for you.
Famed billionaire Richard Branson is backing a brand spanking new supersonic jet known as the Boom which is 2.6 times faster than any current commercial airliner, reports The Guardian.
The Boom’s capable of travelling from London to New York City in just three and a half hours or 210 minutes (The Godfather: Part 2 comes in at 202 minutes including credits) making it even faster than Concorde.
The reason the plane’s so fast is because it’s made of lightweight carbon-fibre composites which give it a top speed of 1,451 miles per hour while carrying a maximum of forty passengers.
Sir Richard Branson explained his decision to back the new super plane saying he’s passionate about aerospace innovation.
The tycoon said:
I have long been passionate about aerospace innovation and the development of high-speed commercial flights. As an innovator in the space, Virgin Galactic’s decision to work with Boom was an easy one.
Through Virgin Galactic’s manufacturing arm, the Spaceship Company, we will provide engineering and manufacturing services, along with flight test support and operations as part of our shared ambitions.
It’s hoped the plane will enter into active testing next year but before you start dreaming of easy trans-Atlantic travel we do have some bad news.
A ticket on the jet will cost an eye-watering $5,000 (£3,500) which is a significant chunk of change.
Maybe we’ll stick to Ryanair…
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.