What is the problem with supersonic aircraft?

A major problem, which all supersonic aircrafts face, is sonic boom. The term sonic boom is used to refer to the shocks caused by the supersonic flight of an aircraft. Sonic booms generate enormous amounts of sound energy, sounding much like an explosion.



People Also Ask

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.

MORE DETAILS

The F/A-18 can reach speeds just under Mach 2, almost twice the speed of sound or about 1,400 mph.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

The North American X-15 may be the fastest plane in the world, with speeds at 4,520 mph and Mach 5.93. It's an experimental aircraft used and powered by NASA and USAF.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Expect smooth sailing In supersonic aircraft, passengers who drift off to sleep might be surprised to wake up and learn they're traveling at Mach 1.7. Imagine flying on Overture at 60,000 feet above the earth, experiencing zero turbulence.

MORE DETAILS

The top speed of the Boeing 747 itself is about 570 mph, and this flight maxed out at 825 mph. The difference between “ground speed” (zero bonus) and “air speed” (200+ mph bonus) is also why this speed, while technically faster than the speed of sound, didn't ever go supersonic.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Spike Aerospace, founded in 2013 Max Kachoria of NASA, built an 18-passenger supersonic jet with low-sonic boom, fuel efficiency, speeds up to 1,100 mph, and flight times slashed in half. Their current model is the S-512 which can get passengers to cities in a moment's notice: NYC to London: 3 hours.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

The reasons were manifold, but typically distilled into two major problems: the Concorde was not economical, and the sonic boom it produced was such a nuisance to people on the ground that it could only fly over water.

MORE DETAILS