The return of supersonal flights has returned cyclically in the debate on civil aviation, driven by attention to new transport technologies and the promise to drastically reduce travel times on intercontinental routes. The Concorde, the Anglo-French aircraft capable of connecting New York and London in about three hours, made its last flight in 2003, closing an era marked by high costs, environmental limits and a commercial demand too restricted to support its operation.
According to some specialized publications and information sites on air transport, including Aviation A2Z and Secret London, a company called Fly Concorde LTD would be working on a project informally referred to as “Concorde 2.0”. The idea would be to resume the setting of the original plane, however introducing substantial changes: a higher share of cruise, around 60 thousand feet, a significant reduction in overall weight and greater attention to the containment of noise and emissions. Circulated estimates speak of a New York–London link in about two hours, but at the moment there are no official confirmations on certifications, operational prototypes or agreements with airlines.
The hypothesized timing, which indicates 2026 as possible year of entry into service, should be read with caution. The original Concorde was also withdrawn due to the introduction of environmental regulations and the impact of the sonic boom, which limited its use on land routes. Today, aviation authorities, such as FAA in the United States and ESA in Europe, require much more stringent standards on safety, noise and sustainability, elements that make a rapid return to commercial supersonic flight complex.
Another more advanced project is Boom Supersonic, an American company that is developing the Overture plane. Unlike Concorde 2.0, Overture has a more defined roadmap: the first entry in service is scheduled around 2029 and the estimated travel time between New York and London is about three hours and 40 minutes. Boom has announced orders and pre-orders by companies like United Airlines, American Airlines and Japan Airlines, an element that signals a concrete commercial interest, although still linked to future goals.
Article The return of supersonal flights is back on the table, but it is not clear when (and if) will happen comes from IlNewyorkese.
