Have you ever heard of or considered cars that could go an hour in a minute, much like in a work of fiction? Imagine being able to travel in a few of hours from New York to Los Angeles via plane. Now that supersonic flying could soon become a reality, there is hope for individuals who have always dreamed of cutting their trip time in half. Even though the last commercial supersonic flight occurred almost 20 years ago, technological advancements, aspirations of private entrepreneurs, and NASA research are working to revive faster-than-sound flight.
A Glimpse into the Past: Concorde’s Legacy:
An era came to an end in 2003 when British Airways Flight 2, the Concorde, completed its last supersonic flight. The Concorde offers a unique flying experience. It can travel from London to New York City faster by cruising at double the speed of sound. The British-French government enterprise Concord was making its last flight after more than 30 years in the air due to a combination of surging costs and safety concerns after a deadly crash in 2000.
Now Super Sonic is returning, and this time it’s here to stay. It’s going to be different. Boom was founded and is led by Blake Scha. His bold objective is to create a new supersonic airliner from the ground up. To date, only the military and governments have succeeded in building supersonic aircraft, and Boom is not the only American startup in the new supersonic sweep. Hermus wants to build an ultra-fast business jet, and Stakes Spike is creating one.
The New Wave: Boom and Overture:
Leading the effort to revive supersonic travel is a private business called Boom Supersonic. Creating Overture, a supersonic airline, from the ground up is their goal. With speedier, more environmentally friendly flights, the company’s creator and CEO, Blake Scholl, hopes to completely transform air travel.
With United Airlines putting an order for fifteen Overture planes, Boom is already creating waves. Even though Overture is still only in concept art and the project is still in development, this collaboration is a significant step toward making the goal of reasonably priced supersonic travel a reality.
The Challenges Ahead:
Building a supersonic aircraft is a difficult task that requires overcoming numerous obstacles. First, the cost: it is projected that creating Overture will require spending between $7 and $8 billion. This is but a portion of the $15–20 billion that are typically needed to build new aircraft. Even if Boon managed to secure $300 million, there is still a long way to go.
A fuel is another hurdle. There are additional obstacles besides money. United has stated that their new aircraft will run entirely on sustainable aviation fuel, but that fuel isn’t available in the proportions they’ll need just yet. In addition, they won’t have the engine they need to accomplish this.
Finally, and maybe most importantly, Boom still requires an engine. The company is now in the design process of developing a special engine for Overture in collaboration with Rolls-Royce.
The Sonic Boom Problem:
Sonic boom always become a barrier for supersonic travel. Any plane that breaks the sound barrier emits a loud sound. The FAA tested supersonic jets above Oklahoma City in the 1960s, which infuriated the populace and caused smashed windows and strained nerves. Supersonic flying over land were consequently outlawed.
However, to address this issue, Lockheed Martin and NASA are currently collaborating on X-59. This plane is an experimental design intended to lower voice volume. If successful, this invention could overturn the prohibition and restore supersonic aircraft’s ability to fly over land, hence increasing the number of possible routes for supersonic travel.
What’s Next for Supersonic Travel?
Although it may be a long way off, organizations like Boom are committed to making supersonic travel a reality. Blake Scholl is optimistic that before the end of the decade, Overture will carry paying passengers. Supersonic travel’s future is still unclear, though, because obstacles like engine development, sustainable fuel, and governmental approval still need to be overcome.
However, the possibility of exceeding the speed of sound once more excites aviation aficionados and frequent passengers. We might finally be able to schedule flights that take less than three hours to get from New York to Los Angeles by 2035. We might even be able to enjoy the trip without ever hearing a single sonic boom.
Looking ahead, it is evident that supersonic flying signifies a daring step into a new era of aviation rather than merely a trip back in time.
