The successor to the ill fated 1980s HOTOL concept (Horizontal Takeoff and Landing) called Skylon is off and running. Skylon has been named ‘Son of Concorde’ but it really is the descendant of HOTOL, which was a British engineering dream back in the excesses of the 1980s.
The new Skylon jet could travel at speeds over 4,000 mph and make any destination possible in under 4 hours, meaning a potential revolution in global travel. Travelling from London to Sydney would only take just over 4 hours to cover nearly 12,000 miles! Pricing would be aimed at first class or business class, which would make it feasible.
When will we see this incredible machine carry passengers? Who knows? It is still a way off from commercialisation, however there is no doubt that it will eventually happen.
The implications for the airline industry is remarkable and indeed it would change the way business is done in the world. Investing in a far off country for firms wouldn’t seem to costly or indeed inspecting branches or factories for managers wouldn’t be such a chore.
Sources: Daily Mail & BBC
