[kach22i]

From a year ago.........................

http://www.machinedesign.com/ASP/viewSelectedArticle.asp?strArticleId=59901&strSite=MDSite

Market research studies predict a worldwide demand for as many as 500 supersonic business jets (SBJ) that can cruise at Mach 1.5 and be bought for about $80 million. Major business-jet companies — including Dassault, Cessna, and Gulfstream — claim to be working on their versions of SBJs, but are reluctant to talk details. Only Bombardier, the Canadian business-jet builder, says it just doesn't see an SBJ in its future. In the meantime, two upstart startups — Aerion Corp. and Supersonic Aerospace International (SAI) — each say they will have an eight to 12-passenger SBJ with a 4,000-nautical-mile range FAA-certified and on the tarmac early in the next decade. Strangely, the two companies are taking almost diametrically opposed paths.

The supersonic business jet from Aerion relies on natural-laminar-flow wings to fly efficiently at super and subsonic speeds.


The QSST from SAI will use a Skunk Works design that features an inverted-V tail.

EDIT:

http://www.saiqsst.com/about.html

As the founder and former CEO of Gulfstream, Allen E. Paulson............

http://www.aerioncorp.com/about_aerion-corp-management.html

Mr. Barents leads Aerion’s effort to develop a consortium to produce supersonic aircraft. He is the former CEO of two business jet manufacturers, Learjet and Galaxy Aerospace.