Aerion
Encyclopedia
Aerion Corporation is an American
aerospace
firm founded by Robert Bass
and based in Reno, Nevada
. Aerion continues research the group began more than 20 years ago, with the current focus on the design of a practical and efficient supersonic business jet employing patented natural laminar flow (NLF) technology, as well as application of this technology for subsonic and transonic aircraft through a wholly owned consultancy business named Aerion Technologies Corporation.
, a concept for a supersonic business jet
, which is capable of flight at speeds up to Mach
1.6, while also cruising efficiently just below the speed of sound (Mach .95 to .99) where necessary. The firm is headed by several veterans of the aerospace and financial industries. The firm's name is derived from the mythical horseAreion —belonged to Adrastus
and born to Demeter
and Poseidon
.
Execujet of Switzerland
is the firm's sales agent worldwide, with the exception of North America
. 50 letters of intent have been taken, with deposits; each aircraft is priced at $80,000,000 in 2007 dollars.
The Aerion SBJ’s key enabling technology, supersonic natural laminar flow, has been conclusively demonstrated in transonic wind tunnel tests and in supersonic flight tests conducted in conjunction with NASA
. While SBJ discussions continue with selected airframers, data from the Aerion-designed calibration fixture aboard a NASA
F-15B in the summer of 2010 are being used to guide the design of a second test surface to be flown in late 2011 or early 2012, pending aircraft availability. The new test surface will provide large extents of laminar flow and be shaped so boundary layer instabilities grow relatively slowly and smoothly. These characteristics will facilitate good boundary layer imaging of the roughness and step-height experiments that will be performed in this next phase. The experiments are intended to influence future laminar flow airfoil manufacturing standards for surface quality and assembly tolerances.
The Aerion supersonic business jet will be powered by the latest generation of the ubiquitous Pratt & Whitney
JT8D engine. A derivative of the existing JT8D-200 series engine, derated to 19,600 pounds thrust, can provide the performance necessary for sustained cruise at speeds up to Mach 1.6 without afterburners. The use of a JT8D derivative reduces technical risks, time to market and the cost of developing a new engine. This engine provides the thrust and bypass ratio needed for efficient supersonic and subsonic performance, while still meeting all applicable emissions standards and Stage 4/Chapter 4 noise requirements with margin.
, chairman of Aerion and president of investment group Keystone Group, LP; Brian E. Barents, vice chairman of Aerion and former president and CEO of Galaxy Aerospace and Learjet; Dr. Richard R. Tracy, who has pioneered the supersonic natural laminar wing concept and serves as Aerion’s chief technology officer; Michael L. Henderson, COO of Aerion and Boeing’s former program manager for high-speed civil transport; Robert Morse, a partner at Oak Hill Capital Management; and James Stewart, CEO of SR Technics. John Holding, previously Bombardier Aerospace’s executive vice president, Integrated Product Definition and Planning, is senior advisor to the company. Thirty-year Boeing veteran Douglas Nichols serves as chief financial officer, while Jim Chase serves as chief engineer focusing on advanced technology.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
aerospace
Aerospace
Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
firm founded by Robert Bass
Robert Bass
Robert Muse Bass is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is currently the chairman of Aerion Corporation, an American aerospace firm in Reno, Nevada. Bass is worth approximately $5.5 billion as of 2007, and $4 billion in 2010 on oil and other investments-Life:Bass was born into a wealthy...
and based in Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
. Aerion continues research the group began more than 20 years ago, with the current focus on the design of a practical and efficient supersonic business jet employing patented natural laminar flow (NLF) technology, as well as application of this technology for subsonic and transonic aircraft through a wholly owned consultancy business named Aerion Technologies Corporation.
History
Aerion is working on the Aerion SBJAerion SBJ
|-See also:-External links:* * * Aviation Week & Space Technology* *...
, a concept for a supersonic business jet
Supersonic business jet
A supersonic business jet would be a small business jet, intended to travel at speeds above Mach 1.0. Typically intended to transport about ten passengers, SSBJs are about the same size as traditional subsonic business jets...
, which is capable of flight at speeds up to Mach
Mach number
Mach number is the speed of an object moving through air, or any other fluid substance, divided by the speed of sound as it is in that substance for its particular physical conditions, including those of temperature and pressure...
1.6, while also cruising efficiently just below the speed of sound (Mach .95 to .99) where necessary. The firm is headed by several veterans of the aerospace and financial industries. The firm's name is derived from the mythical horse
Adrastus
Adrastus or Adrestus , traditionally translated as "nonparticipant" or "uncooperative", was a legendary king of Argos during the war of the Seven Against Thebes.-Mythological tradition:...
and born to Demeter
Demeter
In Greek mythology, Demeter is the goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains, the fertility of the earth, and the seasons . Her common surnames are Sito as the giver of food or corn/grain and Thesmophoros as a mark of the civilized existence of agricultural society...
and Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
.
Execujet of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
is the firm's sales agent worldwide, with the exception of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. 50 letters of intent have been taken, with deposits; each aircraft is priced at $80,000,000 in 2007 dollars.
The Aerion SBJ’s key enabling technology, supersonic natural laminar flow, has been conclusively demonstrated in transonic wind tunnel tests and in supersonic flight tests conducted in conjunction with NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
. While SBJ discussions continue with selected airframers, data from the Aerion-designed calibration fixture aboard a NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
F-15B in the summer of 2010 are being used to guide the design of a second test surface to be flown in late 2011 or early 2012, pending aircraft availability. The new test surface will provide large extents of laminar flow and be shaped so boundary layer instabilities grow relatively slowly and smoothly. These characteristics will facilitate good boundary layer imaging of the roughness and step-height experiments that will be performed in this next phase. The experiments are intended to influence future laminar flow airfoil manufacturing standards for surface quality and assembly tolerances.
The Aerion supersonic business jet will be powered by the latest generation of the ubiquitous Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...
JT8D engine. A derivative of the existing JT8D-200 series engine, derated to 19,600 pounds thrust, can provide the performance necessary for sustained cruise at speeds up to Mach 1.6 without afterburners. The use of a JT8D derivative reduces technical risks, time to market and the cost of developing a new engine. This engine provides the thrust and bypass ratio needed for efficient supersonic and subsonic performance, while still meeting all applicable emissions standards and Stage 4/Chapter 4 noise requirements with margin.
Aerion Technologies Corporation
Increased demand from a variety of aircraft manufacturers for Aerion’s natural laminar flow expertise drove the company to launch Aerion Technologies Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary, in May 2011. Aerion maintains that the same proprietary technologies and design tools that enable a practical SBJ also have subsonic and transonic applications. During the past 10 years, Aerion has developed an extensive portfolio of NLF test data and methods for optimizing its application to aircraft design, as well as assuring practical manufacturing and operational aspects. Aerion Technologies’ NLF technology and design tools may help airframers push speed and efficiency limits for next-generation civil and military aircraft. The company has signed consulting contracts with unnamed airframers.Leadership
Aerion’s board includes: Robert BassRobert Bass
Robert Muse Bass is an American businessman and philanthropist. He is currently the chairman of Aerion Corporation, an American aerospace firm in Reno, Nevada. Bass is worth approximately $5.5 billion as of 2007, and $4 billion in 2010 on oil and other investments-Life:Bass was born into a wealthy...
, chairman of Aerion and president of investment group Keystone Group, LP; Brian E. Barents, vice chairman of Aerion and former president and CEO of Galaxy Aerospace and Learjet; Dr. Richard R. Tracy, who has pioneered the supersonic natural laminar wing concept and serves as Aerion’s chief technology officer; Michael L. Henderson, COO of Aerion and Boeing’s former program manager for high-speed civil transport; Robert Morse, a partner at Oak Hill Capital Management; and James Stewart, CEO of SR Technics. John Holding, previously Bombardier Aerospace’s executive vice president, Integrated Product Definition and Planning, is senior advisor to the company. Thirty-year Boeing veteran Douglas Nichols serves as chief financial officer, while Jim Chase serves as chief engineer focusing on advanced technology.