The return of supersonic flight hinges on the race to solve one big hurdle | CNN

The skies of Oklahoma City roared for six months in 1964 as military aircraft intentionally rattled the population below with a daily barrage of thunderous sonic booms. It was a controversial test — the consequences of which have lingered to this day.

Two approaches in the works could revolutionize air travel by making future supersonic passenger planes compliant with the FAA’s new noise rules: Colorado-based company Boom Supersonic, which is specifically mentioned in the FAA proposal, plans to use physics to prevent sonic booms from ever reaching the ground, regardless of plane design. NASA, on the other hand, is flying an experimental plane called X-59 that is specifically designed to reduce the intensity of the boom.

www.cnn.com/2026/08/06/science/supersonic-flight-comeback-sonic-boom

That one big hurdle is “What’s the fucking point”? The number of people who need to get halfway around the world six hours faster and who are willing to pay ten times as much for the privilege is vanishingly small, and frankly, that’s not a problem that needs solving.

I mean Boeing can’t even build subsonic airplanes any more and Airbus. . .well, they have “Bus” in their name. Who needs a supersonic bus?

Sure that was why there was never really a business case for Concorde, but ……

• I would pay a little more to get there a little faster. Research is not only trying to quiet the boom but also trying to make it more economical.
• I believe the company listed there is focusing on private jets. Someone who can afford a private jet might be more likely to pay a premium to get there faster