Engineering challenges of supersonic transport
aircraft. 8 While the aviation sector causes about 3% of the global carbon dioxide emission, supersonic
aircraft might worsen the Earth’s global warming issue. The air pollution caused by the Concorde is
three times compared to modern subsonic planes. 9 At the same time, in order to reduce drag,
supersonic aircraft usually fly at a higher altitude than subsonic aircraft as the air is thinner. This leads
to the impact of emission to the ozone layer will be higher than other aircraft, which for the Concorde
is five times higher than classic subsonic commercial aircraft.
While supersonic transport still faces a lot of challenges, there are still a number of companies working
on it. Boom Technology is one of the main companies currently aiming to build supersonic commercial
aircraft. Their model will be able to carry 55 passengers and reach Mach 1.7. 10 The company is now
planning to start their first flight in 2026 and has made an agreement with American Airlines for a
purchase of 20 Vverture aircraft. 11 Different from conventional supersonic aircraft, the four engines of
the Boom Overture do not use afterburners; this can reduce the noise produced during takeoff. The
aircraft will be using gull wings which the inner section of the wing will bend in order to reduce drag
and produce the engine thrust required. One of the features of the Boom Vverture is its low emissions.
Boom is hoping to use sustainable aviation fuel in the Overture, which can reduce 80% of the CO2
emission caused by traditional jet fuel. 12 Apart from CO2 emissions, in order to alleviate the impact of
the noise pollution caused by sonic boom, the aircraft will only cruise above the speed of sound over
water, which can avoid it affecting citizens in living areas.
Apart from supersonic transport, there are also investigations about the possibilities of hypersonic
transport. Hypersonic aircrafts can reach five times of the speed of sound and reduce a seven-hour
flight to 90 minutes. 13 There is currently a company called Hermeus that is trying to implement
8 Daniel Rutherford (September 28, 2018) New supersonic transport aircraft: Fuel Parity, or Environmental
Parody? https://theicct.org/new-supersonic-transport-aircraft-fuel-burn-parity-or-environmental-parody/.
9 Climate Home News (27/10/2017) Supersonic, super-rich , super-polluting: the next generation of business jets.
https://www.climatechangenews.com/2017/10/27/supersonic-super-rich-super-polluting-next-generation-
business-jets/ .
10 Boom Overture. Mach 1.7 https://boomsupersonic.com/overture.
11 Boom( August 16, 2022) American Airlines Announces Agreement to Purchase Boom Supersonic Overture
Aircraft, Places Deposit on 20 Overtures https://boomsupersonic.com/news/post/american-airlines-announces-
agreement-to-purchase-boom-supersonic-overture-aircraft-places-deposit-on-20-overtures.
12 Boom (March 04, 2020) Boom’s principles of sustainability, reducing our impact.
https://boomsupersonic.com/flyby/post/booms-principles-of-sustainability.
13 Kristin Houser (May 14,2022) A 20-seat hypersonic plane is being built in Atlanta.
https://www.freethink.com/technology/hypersonic-plane.
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