South African Entrepreneur Priven Reddy Launches Leap Aerospace

Leap officials say their aircraft will be ready for a commercially sustainable supersonic flight service having the potential to carry 86 passengers in late 2029.

FREMONT, CA: Priven Reddy, a South African entrepreneur and co-founder of a mobile app startup, has founded Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion (Leap) Aerospace in Dover, Delaware, to develop a new type of supersonic transport and connect the world at faster speeds. The LEAP EON-01 concept features a twin-tailed, delta-wing configuration with at least four engines — similar to the Anglo-French Concorde – with seating for 65 to 88 people.

“We aim to develop a next-generation aircraft that will illustrate a net-zero emission of carbon and to rely on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF),” according to the company’s website. “Leap Aerospace is dedicated to innovating reliable, affordable, safer, and sustainable air travels solutions [and] will contain the issues of pollution, services accessibility, urban designs improving air mobility, and transportation. The vision of the organization is attainable with the help of numerous stakeholders.”

According to reports, Leap Aerospace is starting on a self-funded basis. Leap Aerospace founder Reddy, 37, has an estimated net worth of $55 billion.

According to Reddy, the plane will employ “a hybrid system of traditional and novel components” to reduce the sonic boom’s impact on technical grounds. Leap’s aircraft design is believed to embrace aerodynamics in a far more efficient manner to minimize shock waves, reduce drag, and increase efficiency.

The 205-foot-long aircraft is expected to reach Mach 1.9 speeds, fly at 60,000 feet, and be up to 100 times quieter than a helicopter. Small propellers are used to provide reduced noise during landing and takeoff. Nonstop flights from New York to London will take less than three hours, while from Johannesburg to Beijing will take around three and a half hours.

“If you are tired of long waiting hours due to the traditional flights, the wait is over now. We welcome you to the new world of “The Next Generation of Supersonic Travel,” Priven Reddy said.

According to Reddy, the aircraft would have a safe-landing mechanism that will allow the plane to safely land on the ground or in the ocean in the case of a complete engine failure or malfunction, reducing casualties. The Leap Aerospace design team has been tasked with developing an aviation solution that can be used for air surveillance, air logistics, tourism, emergency air operations, and business travel.

The company plans to pre-sell its aircraft to cargo and transportation organizations – but not to private operators – by early 2022. Leap’s vision is to manufacture models for 70 or more passengers in its 2.0 aircraft series.