Outrageously speedy airplanes could be soaring back on to the scene in a matter of mere months, due to a significant change to the rules of supersonic air travel. Industry-insiders and technology-tycoons have suggested that from as soon as 2026 (yes, that’s next year, folks), Concorde could be returning to the skies. The news follows the signing of a piece of US legislation that removed the long-standing ban on supersonic travel.
The final Concorde flight took place on November 26, 2003. And now, more than twenty years after the pioneering planes were decommissioned, this historic rule change could see rapid routes between the likes of London and New York make a rather almighty comeback.
The return of Concorde
Concorde revolutionised air-travel, whizzing passengers across the Atlantic in a fraction of the time it takes regular flights. The fasted recorded Concorde flight between London and New Yorkfor example, took place on February 7, 1996. And saw a plane zoom between the Big Smoke and the Big Apple in a rather jaw-dropping 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds. A flight between the two on a regular aircraft currently takes between 7.5 and 8 hours. So yes, it was pretty darn speedy.
A company called Fly Concorde LTD is said to be heading up the revival of the rapid aircrafts. Backed by international engineers and aviation entrepreneurs, the new version of the supersonic jet (dubbed Concorde 2.0) is set to feature the recognisable sleek design and sharp nose – but will run on sustainable aviation fuel, and be approximately 50% lighter than its predecessor. Using modern noise reduction technology, the new aircrafts would also suppress the loud sonic booms that the original planes were plagued by.
As I’m sure you can imagine, passenger prices for these speedy new planes are set to be as high as the plane itself to begin with – but manufacturers hope to see the costs come down eventually.
