Comac C949 supersonic aircraft: significantly longer range

The Chinese supersonic aircraft Comac C949 is still in the design phase. However, the engineers have already announced a few key figures for the passenger aircraft. According to these, the aircraft will be able to travel at up to 1.6 times the speed of sound. Compared to the supersonic airliner Concorde, which was taken out of service in 2003, the Comac should be able to fly around 50 percent further and be 95 percent less noisy.

As reported by the South China Morning Post, initial details of the aircraft have been published in the Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica. The aim is to increase the range of the Comac C949 from 4500 miles to 6800 miles compared to the Concorde. This corresponds to a range increase of around 50 percent. The engineers also have their sights set on the noise level of the supersonic aircraft. They want to reduce the sound pressure level to around 83.9 dB. This is roughly the volume of a hairdryer.

This value is no coincidence. The designers want to undercut the regulatory requirements in order to be able to carry out supersonic flights over land. Until now, supersonic flights have only been permitted over water due to the higher noise level.

Variable center fuselage and movable tank

The Comac C494 is to have a shape-changing fuselage with a curved central section. This should be able to reduce possible shock waves that generate the sonic boom when breaking through the barrier to the speed of sound. The long, needle-shaped nose extension of the aircraft also helps here. It is designed to split the front shock wave into three softer pulses. Aerodynamic bulges near the engines serve to disperse the exhaust turbulence and dampen the sonic boom.

The Comac C949 is to be controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) via a fly-by-wire system. This is necessary to compensate for a possible loss of stability in extreme situations, for example. The Chinese aircraft designers are also planning a mobile fuel system. It should be able to hold 42,000 kg of fuel. Depending on the fuel level, the tank will be moved in flight to balance the aircraft.

The C949 is designed for 28 to 48 passengers. This should also make the aircraft slimmer than the Concorde, which offered space for up to 128 passengers. Thanks to its greater range, the Comac C949 is also suitable for longer routes than the transatlantic flights operated by Concorde between Paris and New York and London and New York. The C949 supersonic aircraft could fly from Shanghai to Los Angeles in around five hours.

(olb)