Story ID: 
Aerion Opens Supersonic Order Book
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: The company expects the trijet, with a sticker price of $120 million, to enter service in 2022.
Word Count: 184
Aerion has taken another step toward the creation of a supersonic business jet (SSBJ), with the announcement yesterday that it has opened the order book for its Mach 1.5+ AS2, with a price tag of $120 million (2015 $) for whenever the aircraft enters production.

According to the Nevada-based company, the first 50 customers will receive preferential pricing and other incentives. "We are offering a select group of forward-thinking business aviation users the opportunity to fly faster and to make history with us as we reintroduce commercial supersonic flight," said company chairman Robert Bass.

Last year, Aerion announced a partnership with Airbus Group to support the SSBJ in specifying and sourcing propulsion systems, airframe structures, avionics and other equipment during the design phase. While Aerion has yet to announce a manufacturing partner to produce the trijet, the company anticipates full launch of the AS2 program early next year. Under the current timeline, Aerion is targeting first flight circa 2019, with entry-into-service sometime in 2022. Earlier this month, former Embraer Executive Jets president Ernie Edwards joined the company as senior vice president and chief commercial officer.