Nearly two decades after the last Concorde flight, supersonic airliners are making a comeback. US air giant American Airlines has placed an order for 20 new supersonic airliners, which could come into service as soon as 2029.
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The wings of a 747 are nowhere near strong enough to mount an engine capable of supersonic flight. Generally, engines used in aircraft like the Concorde or the F-22 are skinny and long. They also weigh quite a fair amount, further requiring a complete overhaul of the way the engines would be supported.
In any case, supersonic air travel for the masses looks like it's genuinely back on the cards. Boom is aiming for the first Overture test flights to take off in 2026 and for the planes to go into public service by 2029.
Fifty years ago, the federal government banned all civilian supersonic flights over land. The rule prohibits non-military aircraft from flying faster than sound so their resulting sonic booms won't startle the public below or concern them about potential property damage.
The Concorde's retirement was due to a number of factors. The supersonic aircraft was noisy and extremely expensive to operate, which restricted flight availability. The operating costs required fare pricing that was prohibitively high for many consumers.
No manufacturer has yet been able to recreate the days of the Concorde, but some are trying. Denver-based Boom Supersonic is leading the pack with its faster-than-sound Overture jet, already securing over 100 orders from United Airlines, Japan Airlines, and American Airlines.
The main reason is that the Concorde had a different design, engine, and fuel system than most fighters. These features allowed it to overcome the challenges and limitations of supersonic flight, such as drag, heat, noise, and fuel consumption.
Such speed didn't come cheap, though: A transatlantic flight required the high-maintenance aircraft to gulp jet fuel at the rate of one ton per seat, and the average round-trip price was $12,000.
United Airlines said it will buy 15 “Overture” jets from Boom Supersonic once they meet United's safety, operating and sustainability requirements, with an option for an additional 35 aircraft. The Denver-based company said the planes will be capable of speeds up to 1.7 times the speed of sound, or about 1,300 mph.
The Concorde was famously loud: a take-off at Washington airport in 1977 measured 119.4 decibels. By comparison, a clap of thunder hits 120 decibels while the pain threshold for the human ear is around 110.
Currently, U.S. law prohibits flight in excess of Mach 1 over land unless specifically authorized by the FAA for purposes stated in the regulations. The two supersonic rulemaking activities would not rescind the prohibition of flight in excess of Mach 1 over land.
Did Concorde ever perform a barrel roll – well yes and the video below will tell you all about it. It was performed by one of British Airways' most celebrated pilots Brian Walpole.