Companies from both sides of the Atlantic are furiously competing to create the first supersonic jetliner after the Concorde.
For those who remember, the Concorde was more than just a marvel of engineering; it was a symbol of an era when the future of air travel seemed limitless. From 1976 to 2003, the Concorde’s needle-nosed silhouette slicing through the skies at Mach 2.04 (over twice the speed of sound) was a common sight in the UK, Europe and the US east coast, making transatlantic flights in less than half the time of conventional aircraft and getting little lads giddy with every roaring low pass.
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After its retirement, commercial supersonic flight became a thing of the past, confined to the annals of aviation history. However, today the dream of flying faster than the speed of sound in anything other than a fighter jet is being revived, with several companies vying to return us to supersonic speeds.
A Brief History of Supersonic Flight
While the Concorde, developed jointly by British Aerospace and Aérospatiale, was the first—and so far only—successful commercial supersonic aircraft, it wasn’t the first supersonic jet liner. The Russians developed the Tupolev Tu-144 (above), which went supersonic for the first time in June 1969, four months before Concorde, and which became the the world’s first commercial transport plane to exceed Mach 2 in May 1970.
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However, despite its potential as a quick way to traverse Russia’s vast lands for a lucky few (it only carried 55 passengers and was initially used on the Moscow-Almaty route) the aircraft design was fraught with problems and, after years used demoted to a lowly cargo freighter, it was finally retired in 1983.
The Concorde (below) however, was more successful. It could fly from New York to London in just over three hours, a feat unmatched by today’s airliners. The above video gives a rare insight into what a flight on this remarkable jet was really like.
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“Who wouldn’t want to fly a Concorde?,” former first officer of Concorde Tony Yule told Aerotime. “Every time we set up at the end of Heathrow, ready to take off, I knew that there will be a thousand pairs of eyes out there, looking at the nose of the aircraft and saying, ‘I wish I was in that seat’. But then came the reality, which was London to New York and back, and to Washington and back.”
However, despite its speed, elegance, and status as a luxury icon, the Concorde also faced significant challenges, including high operating costs, limited range, and environmental concerns, particularly noise pollution from sonic booms. The tragic crash in 2000 and the economic downturn following 9/11 ultimately sealed its fate, leading to its retirement in 2003.
With the death of the Concorde, it was wondered if man was destined to ever fly supersonic commercially again. However, passionate entrepreneurs and armies of scientists, engineers and test pilots are working hard to make it a reality once again.
The New Contenders in Supersonic Travel
Two decades later, the aviation industry is witnessing a resurgence in the development of supersonic aircraft thanks to both lessons learned and access to HPC (high-performance computing). Companies like Boom Supersonic, Venus, and Spike Aerospace are at the forefront, each with ambitious plans to whisk travellers from point to point faster than they’ve ever travelled before.
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“We aren’t going to go backwards or be stuck forever at the same air speed we’ve been flying at for the past 60 years,” says Spike president and CEO Vik Kachoria. “Numerous ventures are promising a resurgence of supersonic, hypersonic and point-to-point or orbital travel and it’s just the next chapter of air travel, not the final one. They all envision a future where everyone can explore the world and eventually, the stars above.”
Boom Supersonic
Denver-based Boom Supersonic is perhaps the most well-known name in the race. Its flagship aircraft, the Overture, aims to carry 65 to 88 passengers at speeds of Mach 1.7. Boom’s design emphasises fuel efficiency and sustainability, with a commitment to net-zero carbon emissions thanks to its powerful Symphony engine, which will run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel.
“At Boom, our vision is to remove the barriers to experiencing the planet,” says Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic (above). “Today, the time and cost of long-distance travel prevent us from connecting with far-off people and places. Overture fares will be similar to today’s business class, widening horizons for tens of millions of travellers. Ultimately, our goal is to make high-speed flight affordable to all.”
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Construction has already begun on the Overture factory in North Carolina, with the first jet set to launch later this year. Potential routes will include New York to London, which was flown by the Concorde, and which Overture will fly in 3.5 hours.
What might come as a surprise is that Boom has already sold Overture to America Airlines, United Airlines (which has already committed itself to supersonic services by 2029) and Japan Airlines, with 130 orders taken so far, meaning flying commercial supersonic might be a little closer than you think.
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Spike Aerospace
Spike Aerospace is developing the S-512, aka the Diplomat (below), a 12-18 passenger business jet capable of flying at Mach 1.6. Spike’s design focuses on luxury and minimising the sonic boom to comply with noise regulations. The company aims to begin test flights in the coming years, with commercial service targeted for late 2026.
Taking cues from NASA’s X-59 experimental jet, the company believes the answer to supersonic commercial flight is reducing those pesky sonic booms, which are illegal to create over the land of most countries. Quieter booms potentially means more feasible routes and an easier path to profitability.
Beyond the aerodynamics, the Diplomat will also feature some inspiring innovations, including the replacement of conventional windows with revolutionary Multiplex Digital Screens that will provide full-length, high definition displays for an incredible flying experience.
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Exosonic
Another could-be contender is Exosonic, a US Air Force supported start up that’s building a 70-passenger ‘low-boom’ supersonic jet (it’s also designing supersonic UAVs). While in its infancy compared to the likes of Boom, the company’s commercial jet, the design of which promises a sonic boom that, by the time it reaches the ground would be lost in the soundtrack of city life, looks like something straight out of Thunderbirds, with a ground-breaking wing design and a range of 5,000 nm.
The company is also actively advocating for a change in sonic boom laws so that they’re about the resulting sound and not the speed of the aircraft high above, rewarding companies that can make quieter supersonic jets.
Hermeus
Another company that has a hat in this race is Hermeus, who has envisioned Halcyon, a ridiculously sexy passenger aircraft capable of accelerating to hypersonic speeds – five times faster than any commercial aircraft today. The company’s premise is superbly simple: there are more 500,000 business class passengers travelling between New York and London each year. Flying at Mach 5 would get them across the Atlantic in just 90 minutes – barely enough time for an inflight movie – saving each of them six hours on a one-way trip. That’s three million productivity hours saved per year – on just one route, in just one year.
At present the Atlanta start up is working on an engine that can hit Mach 5 – that’s 4,830 km/ph – for unmanned military drones (as with most aviation companies, the initial funding comes from defence spending) using its Chimera II engine (below), which is part turbine engine, allowing it to be used at regular airports, and part ramjet.
The company hopes to translate this innovation into a jet that can take around 20 passengers across the pond in half the time the iconic Concorde did. The company is presently paying its own way, building various unmanned drone models to fund its eventual mission, much like SpaceX did with the Falcon 1, Dragon, Falcon Heavy and Starship rockets.
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Venus Aerospace
The 12-passenger Stargazer business jet by Venus Aerospace, with its proprietary wave-rider design, will, if developed, be able to connect any two points on the globe in an hour – yes, an hour! This isn’t really a new concept; aviation companies like the now defunct Virgin Orbit have been talking about jets that almost leave the stratosphere and then return to earth in order to leap from one point to another in mind-bending time, but it’s yet to be proven as feasible.
The Stargazer (above) will use conventional engines to take off and land but will employ a liquid hydrogen peroxide-powered rotating detonation rocket engine to go ‘hypersonic’, climbing to 170,000 feet and Mach 9 as it flies 5,000 nm in just 60 minutes – hence its moniker ‘space plane’. However, we’re we might have to wait a while.
“The high speed global travel market is estimated to be up to US$200 billion per year,” said Sarah Duggleby, the CEO of Venus Aerospace, to CNN. “The Stargazer, with the right capitalisation and the right financial partners, will fly no sooner than 2030.”
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She hits the nail on the head however; Aerion Supersonic was once the poster boy for commercial supersonic aviation and was, with backing from Boeing, developing the AS2, a business jet designed to fly at Mach 1.4. The AS2 featured a sleek design optimised for efficiency and reduced environmental impact. However, despite its promising start, Aerion ceased operations in 2021 due to financial difficulties, highlighting the substantial challenges presented to such a forward-facing industry.
Challenges Facing Supersonic Flight
Money isn’t the only challenge hampering this next stage in commercial aviation. While the technology for supersonic travel has advanced significantly, several challenges must be addressed before these aircraft can take to the skies.
As we mentioned, noise complaints have long been the bane of supersonic jets. Every time a Russian bomber slips into British air space and the Royal Air Force’s Typhoons are unleashed, the authorities are flooded with calls of concern, consternation and castigation. Sonic booms were a significant issue for the Concorde and remain a very real legal challenge for the jets of tomorrow.
Fortunately, a better understanding of aerodynamics is allowing for airplane designs with low-boom configurations that aim to reduce the noise impact. Regulatory approval, which is slowly shifting as territories and authorities like the FAA add supersonic corridors and ease legislation, will be crucial to make these new jets viable.
Supersonic aircraft also consume more fuel than subsonic planes, raising concerns about their carbon footprint. Companies like Boom and Venue are investing in sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), groundbreaking engines, and advanced aerodynamics to mitigate this impact, but achieving true sustainability remains a hurdle.
Of course, the cost of developing and operating supersonic aircraft is also very high. Companies will need to have a clear vision for the future and be backed by investors with a similarly long term goal. The luxury market, with its higher margins, is a natural starting point for supersonic air travel, and broader adoption will require more cost-effective solutions so that the jets of tomorrow can effectively compete with those of today.
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