Flying supersonic (or faster than the speed of sound) still sounds futuristic for many people. The 14 aircraft collectively known as the Concorde are the world’s only commercial supersonic planes that flew from 1976 to 2003. The aircraft could go a maximum speed which was over twice as fast as the speed of sound. This translates to about 1,354 mph.

No government or manufacturer has since been able to build a commercial plane which can travel faster than the speed of sound.

What’s the advantage of supersonic travel?

The main benefit of supersonic travel is the great reduction in flight time. A three-hour flight across the Atlantic could make a day trip possible from the U.S. to London or Paris, essentially saving one whole work day. 

Why was the Concorde retired after 27 Years of service?

Technically, when the Concorde sped up past the speed of sound – about 760 mph – it created shock waves in the air that would hit the ground with a loud and sudden thud: a sonic “boom.” It is so alarming for people on the ground that U.S. federal regulations ban all commercial aircraft from flying faster than the speed of sound over land.

When the aircraft itself is flying faster than sound, the disturbances are compressed together into a stronger disturbance called a shock wave. Shock wave patterns around supersonic aircraft were recently imaged in NASA experiments. When a supersonic aircraft flies overhead, some of the shock waves may reach the ground. This is the sonic boom, which is experienced as a startling thud.

Besides the concerns over its noise, there are – of course – other reasons for the demise of Concorde. These include: high fuel costs and a preference for lower fares over speed.

These reasons are still applicable today, but that is not stopping a number of firms developing a supersonic airliner.

Are there any new attempts to revive the supersonic travel experience?

According to CNN, a new era of supersonic flight might be just around the corner, but there are three challenges to overcome when it comes to flying faster than the speed of sound. Those are the three Es of aviation: engineering, environment and economics.

Concorde, the aeronautical marvel, only conquered the first of those three travel challenges.

However, recent advances in technology and new trends in commercial air travel could make supersonic flight economically viable. But regulations will have to change before civilians can zip through the skies faster than sound.

NASA is currently working to significantly reduce the sonic boom in its X-59 program. By careful shaping of the aircraft, the goal is to weaken the shock waves or to prevent them from reaching the ground.

With flight demonstrations scheduled to begin in 2021, success in NASA’s project could remove one important barrier to supersonic flight.

Another promising approach to the reintroduction of supersonic commercial aircraft is to develop small business jets. This is the approach being taken by Aerion.

So, are we witnessing the return of supersonic air travel? The answer is seemingly: YES!