https://telegraph.co.uk/gift/cb9be9d3b244cb7f
 

I wonder how it will go.

I think it's gonna go BOOM!

While I'm interested in and enthusiastic about the Boom supsersonic plane, I'm also somewhat skeptical.

With all the talk about being "environmentally friendly" and "carbon neutral" nowadays, I'm surprised that there's not more of a backlash against supersonic passenger planes.  These things are extreme fuel hogs, and I don't care if they claim the fuel is "sustainable" - the engines still burn it and produce emissions - a *lot* of emissions.  I personally don't care about the emissions, but I imagine that a lot of people will.

I'm also skeptical because in order to be profitable, the ticket prices will have to be very high, likely putting ever flying on one of these things out of reach for 95+% of the population.  It's looking to me like the Overture will simply be a supersonic very large business jet for wealthy passengers.  This isn't all that different from the Concorde in that respect, as I believe it largely catered to primarily wealthy and business people.  I'm surprised that commercial passenger airlines like American are interested, but they obviously see an opportunity to profit from it.

I'm all for developing supersonic planes, but I just don't get too excited about it as very few people will have the financial means to fly on one.  I hope I'm wrong and Boom develops the technology to make these things fuel efficient and allow a ticket price that is affordable for the average person.

Lastly, I came across a lot of critical comments for that article claiming that the Concorde failed due to the "Americans".  There were claims that the USA made it difficult for the Concorde to fly to/from the USA and that the govt. did this intentionally to encourage Concorde's failure.  Does anyone know if this is true?  I hope it isn't.

Dave

 

Edited January 27, 20251 yr by dave2013

1 hour ago, charliearon said:

I think it's gonna go BOOM!

I was thinking the same thing 😁

27 minutes ago, dave2013 said:

Lastly, I came across a lot of critical comments for that article claiming that the Concorde failed due to the "Americans".  There were claims that the USA made it difficult for the Concorde to fly to/from the USA and that the govt. did this intentionally to encourage Concorde's failure.  Does anyone know if this is true?  I hope it isn't.

Yes it was banned from operating in the USA and the Supreme Court did eventually lift that ban. Branniff International wanted to operate them and did operate them on US Routes briefly between Washington and Texas, but they were unable to go supersonic therefore no point in continuing that operation as it just becomes an expensive and cramped airliner operating under Mach 1, the novelty wore off quickly.

The supersonic boom was too loud over land, that is why they were perfect for crossing oceans, they went supersonic when they were over the sea. Most US Airliners don't operate exclusively over the seas so it wasn't financially viable. For example Chicago to London on a United Concorde would only be able to go supersonic when it passes Newfoundland, so not worth it for these type routes, the wide bodies were the money makers 

Edited January 27, 20251 yr by Matthew Kane

14 minutes ago, Matthew Kane said:

the wide bodies were the money makers 

Uh....we are talking airplanes, right?   I was having visions of "other things"!

23 minutes ago, Matthew Kane said:

Yes it was banned from operating in the USA and the Supreme Court did eventually lift that ban.

What I've read is that there was an initial ban due to noise concerns, but it only lasted about a year and a half.  I doubt that this alone caused the Concorde to "fail" as several commenters of that article asserted.  Moreover, the Concorde flew for almost 30 years, so I wouldn't describe it as having been a "failure".

Concorde was not allowed to fly at supersonic speeds over land not only in the USA, *but in the UK or France as well*, due to the sonic boom.  This prohibition was not something unique to the USA.

We'll see if Boom can pull off supersonic flight with minimal sonic boom and good fuel efficiency.  The efficiency per passenger calculation can't be good as the Overture will only carry 65 pax.

Dave

 

42 minutes ago, Matthew Kane said:

For example Chicago to London on a United Concorde would only be able to go supersonic when it passes Newfoundland

Concorde’s range made that route impossible. London - Barbados was right at its limit and a reduced passenger load was often required.

An aircraft for the worlds elite to fly. To their green conferences.

48 minutes ago, dave2013 said:

What I've read is that there was an initial ban due to noise concerns, but it only lasted about a year and a half.  I doubt that this alone caused the Concorde to "fail" as several commenters of that article asserted.  Moreover, the Concorde flew for almost 30 years, so I wouldn't describe it as having been a "failure".

I wouldn't consider it a failure either, just not commercially viable beyond its established limited service between London/Paris and New York or Washington etc. If if was commercially viable Boeing would have completed the B2707, which was supposed to be larger and faster. The B747 proved that slow and steady wins the race, nothing beat the Queen of the Skies in that era

KIrk "Beam me up to Paris, Mister Scott".

Scotty: "Boom"!

3 hours ago, G-RFRY said:

An aircraft for the worlds elite to fly. To their green conferences.

Yes, these will likely be the lower-level minions. 

The *real* "elites" will continue to jet set around the globe in their super luxurious private jets.  I'm sure they'll eventually be clamoring to make these supersonic as well to get them to their multi-million dollar vacation palaces faster.

Dave

“Boom” supersonic. I thought sonic booms are not a positive feature. “Sounds” like an engineer is doing double-duty as head of marketing.

I think by next decade there will be schedules Space X StarShip serves all over the world. It will be for the very rich but never the less.

3 hours ago, FBW737 said:

I think by next decade there will be schedules Space X StarShip serves all over the world. It will be for the very rich but never the less.

Will it be cheaper than a week at Disneyland? 😄

Hook