Can Concorde go supersonic?

Constructed out of aluminium, it was the first airliner to have analogue fly-by-wire flight controls. The airliner could maintain a supercruise up to Mach 2.04 (2,170 km/h; 1,350 mph) at an altitude of 60,000 ft (18.3 km).



Yes, the Concorde was a masterpiece of 20th-century engineering specifically designed for sustained supersonic flight. It had a maximum cruise speed of Mach 2.04 (approximately 1,354 mph or 2,180 km/h), which is more than twice the speed of sound. This incredible velocity allowed it to cross the Atlantic from London to New York in under three and a half hours, compared to the seven or eight hours required by conventional subsonic jets. To achieve this, the Concorde featured a slender "delta wing" design, four powerful Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 turbojets with afterburners, and a unique "droop-nose" that lowered for better visibility during takeoff and landing but stayed streamlined during high-speed flight. However, flying supersonic created a massive sonic boom, which eventually led to regulations prohibiting it from flying at top speeds over land. Despite its retirement in 2003, it remains the most iconic symbol of civilian supersonic travel, a feat that has not been replicated by any commercial airline since.

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Constructed out of aluminium, it was the first airliner to have analogue fly-by-wire flight controls. The airliner could maintain a supercruise up to Mach 2.04 (2,170 km/h; 1,350 mph) at an altitude of 60,000 ft (18.3 km).

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The Concorde carried out supersonic flights until 2003, when it was retired. Also, because the plane flew faster than the speed of sound, it created a sonic boom, an explosive noise caused by shock waves that were a nuisance to people on the ground.

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Concorde used the most powerful pure jet engines flying commercially. The Aircraft's four engines took advantage of what is known as 'reheat' technology, adding fuel to the final stage of the engine, which produced the extra power required for take-off and the transition to supersonic flight.

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Concorde is sadly no longer flying, but it is still possible to visit some of the remaining 18 airframes, there are others not open to the public but you can still see them.

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But when Concordes were in action, they would often break the sound barrier. Concorde's window-rattling sonic booms produced enormous sound energy, about 110 decibels, similar to the sound of explosions or thunder. The aircraft is dubbed the X-59 Quiet Supersonic Technology (QueSST).

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Technical, financial, and regulatory hurdles make a return to the skies extremely unlikely. Concorde is an aircraft that captures the imagination and is instantly recognizable even to non-aviation fanatics.

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Boom Supersonic's Overture plane is slated to roll out in 2025, fly in 2026 and expected to carry passengers by 2029. Capable of flying at speeds of Mach 1.7 – twice the speed of today's fastest airliners – Overture will be able to connect more than 500 destinations in nearly half the time.

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As a result, routes it could serve were limited – primarily London and Paris to New York and DC. But because of the time savings, and the elite status of flying the Concorde on these routes, airlines were able to charge a premium rate of $12,000 round-trip.

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Flying at this altitude not only helped save on fuel but also helped the jet save significant amounts of time, as at 60,000 feet, there were almost no jets that air traffic control would route Concordes around. The only aircraft flying beside the supersonic transport were either military aircraft or other Concordes.

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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.

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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.

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Afterburning was added to Concorde for take-off to cope with weight increases that came after the initial design. It was also used to accelerate through the high-drag transonic speed range, not because the extra thrust was required, but because it was available and improved the operating economics.

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So, to answer the question, yes, some fighter jets are faster than the Concorde. However, it is important to note that the Concorde was primarily designed for passenger travel, not for combat or aerial maneuvers.

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Of its final, celeb-studded passenger flight, CNN's Quest says: It didn't matter how famous you were, the star was the plane. Faster than a speeding bullet: 20 years after it last flew, Concorde remains unsurpassed in terms of speed in the world of commercial flight.

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