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I flew one once from NY to Paris, and it was fantastic. But of course, it's entirely too impractical, because physics. The takeoff noise is unacceptable, as are sonic booms above land. Then there is the insane fuel burn.
The heat on the skin of the plane was also insane, from the air compression, which you could feel in various places, such as at the emergency exit doors.
It took off like a jet fighter, with a steep climb right after lifting off, then a sharp turn out over sea because noise.
It took off like a jet fighter, with a steep climb right after lifting off, then a sharp turn out over sea because noise.
There is no way this can really be practical until we invent something completely different. Scram jets might work and be efficient over ocean. Otherwise, we have to do sub-orbital flights -- but only for travelers willing to throw up in free fall.
Until @ElonMusk invents suborbital passenger service, I won't treat him as the visionary everyone else claims to be.
