Sir-In your article "Supersonic Resurrection" (Flight International, 18-25 December 1996, P26), you reported the Tupolev officials' belief that sustained air-traffic growth would lead to the need for a larger, second-generation, supersonic transport (SST). This is illogical, as continuing air-traffic growth is already causing a shortage of "slots" at major airports. To get around this, airline operators and aircraft manufacturers are now contemplating ever larger aircraft, like a fully double-decked Boeing 747, and even a new super-jumbo capable of carrying 800-1,000 people. Clearly it is not going to help to have fleets of SSTs coming into service at about the same time, and only able to carry 250/300.
R D Morrell
London, UK
Source: Flight International
