On October 24, 2003, the last Concorde touched down at Heathrow, ending commercial supersonic passenger flight - a capability the industry has not recovered in the 23 years since.
TaildraggerBoom Supersonic's XB-1 demonstrator reached Mach 1.122 in March 2024, marking the first new civil supersonic aircraft to break the sound barrier in the U.S. in decades.
VectorBoom Supersonic's XB-1 broke Mach 1 in January 2024, validating key aerodynamics - but the uncertified Symphony engine remains the single open variable in Overture's commercial viability.
VectorBoom Supersonic's XB-1 broke Mach 1 on private funding in early 2024, reigniting the case for commercial supersonic travel after the Concorde's 2003 retirement.
VectorBoom Supersonic's Overture must clear four financial hurdles that grounded Concorde - here's an honest accounting of where each one stands.
TowerBoom Supersonic's Overture airliner targets Mach 1.7 cruise and a 2030 entry into service - the most credible commercial supersonic program since Concorde retired in 2003.
VectorConcorde's iconic drooping nose was a brilliant mechanical solution that modern electronics have made permanently obsolete.
TowerBoom Supersonic's Overture differs from Concorde in speed, materials, engines, and wing design thanks to 30 years of technological advancement.
TowerEight aircraft defined supersonic flight from Chuck Yeager's Mach 1 in 1947 to the X-15's Mach 6.7 record that still stands today.
TowerOn May 26, 1970, the Tupolev Tu-144 became the first commercial transport aircraft to reach Mach 2, a milestone in the Cold War supersonic race.
TaildraggerBoom Supersonic's Overture aims to revive supersonic commercial flight, but the clean-sheet Symphony engine remains its biggest risk.
VectorBoom Supersonic's Overture aims to bring back supersonic travel at Mach 1.7, but its success hinges entirely on the unproven Symphony engine.
VectorThe Boeing 2707 was America's audacious supersonic airliner program, killed by Congress in 1971 after a billion dollars and zero flying prototypes.
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