IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Dude, where's my supersonic jet?

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

1. Limited Market Demand Due to High Costs and Alternatives

Supersonic travel targets a niche ultra-wealthy/business market but lacks broad appeal amid cheaper luxuries like private jets.
"Those who could easily afford supersonic can already afford other luxuries; the only one it gives is time; but if time is of the essence you can save it elsewhere by chartering your own jet." —bombcar
"The very wealthy are price-insensitive and would be ok paying 3-4x as much to get somewhere 2x faster." —AlexandrB

2. Modern Amenities Reduce Need for Speed

WiFi, entertainment, and productivity tools make subsonic flights tolerable; true progress is efficiency, not raw speed.
"I just don't see any pressing need for supersonic jet travel now that in-flight Wi-Fi, hi-res HMDs for your laptop and the Nintendo Switch all exist." —Analemma_
"true progress is the ability to do more with less, and not merely the ability to do more with more." —kibwen

3. Economic and Operational Challenges

Fuel inefficiency, maintenance, and boom regulations doom viability; siphons business class revenue without offsetting economy losses.
"It's going to cost way more than just 2x to run the supersonic jet along the same route per flight just in fuel and maintenance and you're cutting out all the low fare passengers." —rtkwe
"now most of the profit for the 300-seater is gone. What does this do to flight pricing for those who were flying economy?" —mrec

🚀 Project Ideas

Supersonic Travel Time Arbitrage Platform

Summary

  • [A marketplace for booking supersonic flights by the hour, specifically targeting the "time-insensitive but price-sensitive" private jet market that commenters identified as a viable starting point.]
  • [Core value proposition: Enables ultra-wealthy individuals to charter supersonic time without full aircraft ownership, making the technology economically accessible while proving market viability before mass-market adoption.]

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Ultra-high-net-worth individuals, corporate executives, private aviation clients
Core Feature Hourly supersonic charter booking platform with dynamic pricing and route optimization
Tech Stack React, Node.js, PostgreSQL, AWS Lambda, Maps API, aviation data feeds
Difficulty Low
Monetization Revenue-ready: Commission on bookings (15-25%), subscription for concierge services

Notes

  • [Directly addresses AlexandrB's comment: "chartering your own jet seems like the place to start with supersonic technology" and "The very wealthy are price-insensitive and would be ok paying 3-4x as much to get somewhere 2x faster."]
  • [The platform would aggregate demand for fractional ownership models and connect with existing private jet operators adding supersonic aircraft, creating a revenue stream without requiring mass-market adoption initially. The low difficulty comes from leveraging existing private aviation infrastructure and booking systems.]

Airport End-to-End Time Optimization Platform

Summary

  • [A comprehensive app/service that optimizes every step of airport travel beyond just flight time, addressing the consensus that ground time is the real bottleneck.]
  • [Core value proposition: Saves 2-3 hours per trip through coordinated services, making existing subsonic flights more valuable and potentially delaying the need for expensive supersonic aircraft.]

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Frequent business travelers, premium airline passengers
Core Feature Door-to-door airport concierge including luggage handling, expedited security, and tarmac transfers
Tech Stack Mobile app (Flutter/React Native), GPS tracking, airline API integrations, partner network management
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: Premium subscription ($50-200/month) + per-service fees + partnerships with luxury services

Notes

  • [Addresses multiple HN comments about airport inefficiency: "The last mile problem bites again," airport security circus, and tarmac transfer services mentioned by Animats.]
  • [As @atoav noted: "Want to reduce the time it takes to get somewhere? Reduce the security circus at airports." This solves a larger pain point than supersonic speed for most routes.]
  • [Has high practical utility and discussion potential around airport infrastructure. Subscription model works for frequent travelers.]

Cross-Atlantic Business Travel Time Calculator & Comparison Tool

Summary

  • [A sophisticated comparison tool that calculates actual door-to-door travel time (including airport overhead) for both subsonic and hypothetical supersonic options, helping users understand when speed actually matters.]
  • [Core value proposition: Data-driven insights into when supersonic travel provides meaningful time savings versus when it's negligible, preventing overspending on marginal gains.]

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Corporate travel planners, frequent business travelers, budget-conscious executives
Core Feature Multi-variable travel time calculator incorporating check-in times, security, boarding, delays, and connection efficiency
Tech Stack Python backend for calculations, React frontend, real-time flight data APIs, airport statistics database
Difficulty Low
Monetization Hobby: Free tool with potential premium features for corporate travel departments

Notes

  • [Addresses @mkoubaa's observation that "7 hour to London is actually 10 hours when you factor in...," and recursivecaveat's analysis about "20% flight time reduction" being underwhelming.]
  • [Helps validate/disprove supersonic marketing claims with real data, creating discussion opportunities about the actual value proposition.]
  • [Practical utility for travel planning without requiring any hardware development.]

Aviation Environmental Impact Calculator

Summary

  • [Tool to calculate and compare the true environmental cost of different flight options, including supersonic vs. subsonic, addressing the gap in the discussion about environmental concerns.]
  • [Core value proposition: Empowers environmentally conscious travelers and corporate sustainability officers to make informed decisions, creating transparency around aviation's environmental impact.]

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Environmentally conscious travelers, corporate sustainability teams, policy researchers
Core Feature CO2e and methane leakage calculations, route-specific impact analysis, supersonic vs subsonic comparisons
Tech Stack Python for emissions modeling, React/D3.js for visualizations, public aviation and environmental datasets
Difficulty Low
Monetization Hobby: Free tool, potential API licensing to travel platforms or corporate ESG reporting services

Notes

  • [Addresses the lack of environmental discussion in the original article, mentioned by @joelthelion: "Not a word on the environmental impact."]
  • [Includes data on LNG methane leakage issues highlighted by @masklinn: "30% of the LNG supply chain's greenhouse impact is methane leaks."]
  • [Creates valuable discussion around sustainable aviation and could influence policy or corporate travel policies.]

Flight Delay & Time Savings Insurance Product

Summary

  • [An insurance product that pays out when flights take longer than optimal times (including ground time), creating a financial hedge against travel inefficiency regardless of flight speed.]
  • [Core value proposition: Instead of investing in expensive supersonic aircraft, airlines can offer insurance that guarantees "fast enough" travel or compensates passengers, addressing the same pain point with different economics.]

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Frequent business travelers, corporate travel departments
Core Feature Real-time delay tracking, automated payouts based on actual door-to-door travel time
Tech Stack Integration with airline APIs, GPS tracking, automated claims processing, payment systems
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: Premium insurance pricing ($20-100 per trip), similar to flight delay insurance

Notes

  • [Addresses @ghaff's comment about booking "most convenient flight" vs. "saving a few hundred dollars" and the value proposition issues of supersonic travel.]
  • [Creates tangible value for time-sensitive travelers without the massive capital investment required for supersonic aircraft.]
  • [Practical utility for managing the real pain points of air travel: delays and inefficiencies rather than just speed.]

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