I have been in aircraft maintenance for over 20 years, and sometimes I think about this.

"Why, in 2025, are there still no supersonic passenger planes flying?!!"

The last time the Concorde flew was a whopping 22 years ago.
That legendary aircraft could reach New York from London in just 3 hours.
With a top speed of 2,179 km/h, it was truly an insane machine by today's standards.

But what about now?

Now, we have to sit uncomfortably on a Boeing or Airbus that only goes 920 km/h.
In-flight meals are chicken or pasta served on a tray. The choice is yours, but the boredom of flying is the same.

Why did the Concorde disappear?

The ban on breaking the sound barrier over US land.
This was the start of all the problems.

In 1973, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) prohibited supersonic commercial flights over land, citing "too much noise."

Why, you ask?

When flying at supersonic speeds, a "bang!" sonic boom occurs.
It sounds just like thunder. If such a sound echoed in the middle of LA,
it would cause a scene where a grandfather sipping coffee in the yard spills it.

So the Concorde could only fly over the Atlantic.
It kept making round trips between London and New York, but with high fuel costs and few seats, after one accident... it eventually retired.

But you know... technology has improved, right?

In 2020, President Trump said, "Enough already, let it go" and
instructed the FAA to establish noise standards for supersonic aircraft.

There is one condition.

"Sonic booms must not be heard on the ground"

So nowadays, NASA is also developing a plane called the X-59.
They aim to create a sound that goes "thump" instead of "bang."
They designed the engine to be mounted on top of the aircraft to reduce noise below.
(At this point, it's almost at the level of a sound designer...)

A private company in Colorado called Boom Supersonic is
working on a plane called Boom Overture.

The current prototype is the XB-1, and the target speed is Mach 1.7.
It can carry 64 to 80 passengers.

American Airlines and United Airlines are already showing interest.
"If you give it a name that sounds impressive, orders will come in."

But let me say something from a mechanic's perspective.

Supersonic aircraft consume much more fuel than subsonic aircraft.

The reason is not just that they fly fast.

When an aircraft breaks the sound barrier (about Mach 1), air resistance increases dramatically.

At this point, the aircraft requires more thrust, and to achieve this, the engines burn a large amount of fuel.

Especially supersonic aircraft that must fly above Mach 1.5 use engines equipped with turbojets or afterburners capable of high-temperature, high-pressure combustion, which prioritize speed over efficiency, thus consuming fuel like it's going out of style.

For example, the retired supersonic passenger plane Concorde consumed more fuel flying from New York to London with about 100 passengers than a Boeing 747 that could carry over 300 passengers.
The Concorde maintained a speed of Mach 2.0, flying at over 2,100 km/h, and it is said to have burned an enormous amount of aviation fuel to maintain that speed. Ultimately, the price to pay for speed is fuel costs and environmental burdens.

Moreover, supersonic flight occurs at high altitudes, which means the engines require higher output to maintain stable combustion in an environment with low oxygen concentration and low pressure, leading to increased fuel injection.

While technology has advanced, even today, the biggest obstacle to commercially operating supersonic aircraft is the enormous fuel consumption and the resulting operational costs. Ultimately, it means "if you want to go fast, you have to pay more," which is why companies find it difficult to easily adopt supersonic operations due to inefficiency.

Engines, noise, fuel, maintenance costs... these are all realities we have to face.

But still... one day, the day will come when I can maintain a supersonic aircraft, right?

Come on out. I want to maintain you once.