Boeing unveils the future at Paris air show

The Boeing Company unveiled a model of its newest commercial aircraft, the sonic cruiser at the Paris Air Show, giving the world its first three-dimensional look at the aircraft that Boeing says will change the way the world flies.

"This aircraft is advanced technology's latest and best answer to the question 'how do people want to fly?' This is the aircraft our customers have asked us to concentrate on," Boeing Commercial Aircrafts President and Chief Executive Officer Ajan Mulally, said. 'They share our view that this new aircraft will change the way the world flies as dramatically as did the introduction of the jet age."

The sonic cruiser is expected to fly at speeds of up to Mach .98 (98 percent of the speed of sound) over extended ranges. The faster speeds will reduce flight times by approximately 15-20 percent, shortening air travel trips by about one-hour for every 3,000 miles flown. The aircraft's long-range potential of 9,000 nautical miles or higher means passengers will be able to fly directly to their destinations, avoiding congested hubs and the delay and inconvenience of intermediate stops.

The model, a replica 6 feet in length, reveals a sleek, innovative design that includes a large, "double delta" wing placed farther back on the fuselage than today's jetliner designs, and a pair of canards-small, wing-like extensions-near the nose of the aircraft. Two engines are placed at the rear of the aircraft.

"Air travel is about bringing people together," Mulally said. "That's what it comes down to. And the sonic cruiser will help us take air travel and bringing people together to a new level."

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