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Nearly as Fast As the Speed Of Sound

This is an artist's version of what Boeing 's super-fast Sonic Cruiser will look like.

The next generation of passenger planes will travel faster, higher and farther. In an announcement last week, the airplane manufacturer Boeing revealed it is developing a new jet capable of flying very long routes at nearly the speed of sound. The Sonic Cruiser will travel at 740 miles per hour. That is 20% faster than existing planes. It will cruise at around 41,000 feet above the ground, about 5,000 feet higher than most jets fly now.

"It will change the way the world flies," said Alan Mulally, chairman of Boeing.

The new plane will also cut down on travel time for many routes. For example, it will take three hours off flights from California to Europe. Carrying more than 200 passengers at a time, the plane will be able to fly more than 10,000 miles in a single trip. If all goes well with its development, the Sonic Cruiser should take flight in 2006.

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