Need for Speed: Supersonic Air Travel Takes Off

At a time when commercial air travel has been plagued by negative headlines involving safety and mechanical issues, a new generation of companies is in a race to supercharge public air travel. There are multiple efforts underway to relaunch supersonic commercial air travel, for the first time since the Concorde was grounded more than two decades ago amidst noise and safety concerns. These new efforts are far more advanced, looking to reduce noise, improve safety, and make supersonic travel affordable for the general public.

Among the newest entrants to the supersonic market is NASA, working with Lockheed Martin on the X-59 demonstrator jet. Then there is Denver-based Boom Supersonic, looking to launch a supersonic passenger jet within five years that can take up to 80 passengers from New York to London in about 3.5 hours. "The XB-1, which is our prototype, that is history's first independently-developed supersonic jet," says Boom Founder and CEO Blake School in a recent interview with Fox News. "And that is a big milestone for us, as it is literally the first time anyone outside of government or military has built a supersonic jet."

School says they first sought to address the biggest issue plaguing supersonic travel back to the days of the Concorde: the noise. "From a takeoff and landing perspective, this will be as quiet as any other airliner flying today, so it will be really friendly to airport communities," he continues. "There will be sonic booms over water only, where no one is there to hear them."

"This technology has come a long way," says School. "Remember, the Concorde was designed in the 1960s with slide rules, drafting paper, and wind tunnels. Today, we've got carbon fiber composites, more efficient engines, and software-defined aerodynamics."

Boom hopes to launch its first commercial supersonic flight in 2029. But it may be a few years beyond that before people are booking the flights on Expedia or Travelocity. "Our first airplane is all business class, second airplane will be premium economy, third airplane we think we can beat economy fares," says School. "So just like any other new technology, we're looking to gradually bring down the cost curve."