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An unmanned prototype of the 18 passenger S-512 Quiet Supersonic Jet has taken to the skies for its first ever flight.

Spike Aerospace, the firm behind the radical new “son of Concorde”, said the maiden test flight was a “huge success”.

Prototypes of supersonic jets with top speeds of 1,354 mph have only been carried out in wind tunnels to date.

But now the futuristic jet has been tested in a “real world situation”, according to Spike.

(Image: SPIKE AEROSPACE)

(Image: SPIKE AEROSPACE)

Spike is competing with NASA and Virgin Airlines to develop a commercial supersonic jet capable of breaking the 767 mph sound barrier.

Last month NASA revealed that it had carried out breakthrough tests of its version of the supersonic jet.

Experts working on the £289million ($390million) project tested the latest prototype inside a massive wind tunnel at NASA’s Langley Research Center.

Now Spike have gone one step further by carrying out seven short flights to examine the design and flight controls of the jet.

Vik Kachoria, President and CEO of Spike, said: “The SX-1.2 test flights were conducted in a real world situation, and provide significantly more data than wind tunnel tests done in an artificial environment.

'We were able to test not only handling, but also a range of other considerations.”

Adjustments to the £45million ($60million) jet’s mass, balance and controls were made between each test flight.

The aircraft was piloted by engineers KrishnaKumar Malu and Mike Ridlon at a private airfield in New England in the US.

(Image: SPIKE AEROSPACE)

Malu said: “'These test flights are providing incredibly valuable information which we can use to refine the design.

“I am very excited about how helpful these tests will be to our supersonic development program.”

Spike believes its S-512 aircraft will be ready to take to the skies by 2021, with passenger flights available in 2023.

It currently takes a commerical airliner more than eight hours to fly from London to New York.

A supersonic jet with a top speed of 1,354 mph would cut that time in half to around three hours and 30 minutes.

“Flying 450 mph faster than any other civilian jet, the Spike S-512 will enable customers to do more and enjoy more out of life,” Spike said.

“London will be just three hours away from NYC – making day trips for business possible.

“Or Paris to Dubai for shopping and entertainment and back home in time for dinner.”