March 30, 2001

Boeing Co plans new airplane that will fly just shy of speed of sound, or about 20 percent faster than current jets; twin-engine jet, called Sonic Cruiser or 20XX, will have double delta-shaped wing somewhat reminiscent of supersonic Concorde; will seat 175 to 250 passengers, fly at higher altitudes than conventional jets and save about one hour for every 3,000 miles it travels; Boeing decides to halt work on stretched version of 747, which was intended to compete with 550-seat superjumbo jet form Airbus Industrie, and focus instead on new-generation Sonic Cruiser; drawing; photo (M)

United Airlines is set to begin daily nonstop flights from Kennedy International Airport to Hong Kong, a record 8,439 miles; Continental already has flight from Newark to Hong Kong, at a mere 8,437 miles; such flights have enormous fuel, food and other logistcal requirements; Capt Bob Whitman, United pilot, comments on flying through supercold weather domes over North Pole; photos; map (L)

Republicans in New Jersey are concerned about political prospects of their standard-bearer, Acting Gov Donald T DiFrancesco, who has endured steady barrage of criticism of his past business practices while president of State Senate and whose selection for state treasurer, Isabel Miranda, has been forced to resign (M)

Prototype of next Z3 roadster has arrived at BMW's only American assembly plant, but it is shrouded in secrecy; photo of partly disguised Z3 (S)

House Approves Elements Of Bush's Tax-Cut Proposal Despite uncertain prospects in the Senate, the House of Representatives approved two more elements of President Bush's tax-cut plan and took the first tentative step toward eventually abolishing the estate tax. The House passed a bill that would lower income taxes for married couples and double the tax credit available to families with children. After the vote, the members of the Ways and Means Committee approved a bill that would repeal the estate tax, but it would not become effective until 2011. [Page A1.]