The Curious Case of Slower Airplanes: Why Flights Aren't Getting Faster

In an era defined by rapid technological advancements, it's perplexing to note that commercial flight times have actually increased over the years. While a British Airways plane set a record in 1996 by flying from New York to London in a mere two hours and fifty-three minutes, modern passengers endure journeys lasting no less than six hours on the same route. What factors contribute to this slowdown in air travel?

The Concorde's Rise and Fall

The British-and-French-made Concorde, which began service in the 1970s, offered a glimpse into the future of high-speed flight. Traveling at over 2,000 kilometers per hour, more than twice the speed of a standard airliner, the Concorde connected destinations like New York, Paris, Bahrain, and Singapore with unprecedented speed.

However, its supersonic capabilities came with a significant drawback: the sonic boom. When an object surpasses the speed of sound, it generates a continuous shockwave that produces a loud, startling noise, capable of rattling windows and even damaging buildings. With a plane at 15 kilometers altitude affecting an 80-kilometer diameter area, the noise pollution restricted the Concorde to mostly ocean routes.

The Economic Realities of Supersonic Flight

Beyond the sonic boom issue, supersonic flights proved to be incredibly expensive. A round-trip transatlantic ticket could cost the equivalent of over $10,000 today. The combination of high costs and decreased demand for flights following the events of September 11th, 2001, led to the Concorde's retirement in 2003.

The Fuel Efficiency Factor

While advancements in flight technology might suggest that faster flights should become more affordable, fuel economy remains a primary concern. Modern jet engines have become significantly more efficient, achieving greater thrust and traveling further per liter of fuel. However, this efficiency peaks at speeds of around 900 kilometers per hour, far below the Concorde's capabilities.

The Cost of Speed

Exceeding this speed threshold would drastically increase air intake and fuel consumption per kilometer flown. Considering that a standard transatlantic flight already consumes around 150,000 liters of fuel, representing over 20% of an airline's total expenses, any reduction in fuel economy would substantially inflate flight costs and exacerbate environmental impact.

Aerodynamic Design Trade-offs

Exploring alternative methods to enhance speed without excessive fuel consumption reveals further challenges. Adjusting the wing sweep, or the angle at which wings extend from the fuselage, can reduce aerodynamic drag and increase speed. However, this necessitates longer wings to maintain the same wingspan, resulting in increased weight and, consequently, higher fuel consumption.

The Future of Supersonic Travel

Although airlines could design more aerodynamic aircraft, the associated costs often outweigh customer demand for faster flights. While military aircraft routinely conduct high-speed flights over water and at high altitudes, supersonic commercial flights appeared to be a fleeting experiment.

However, recent breakthroughs offer renewed hope. Research conducted by NASA and DARPA indicates that modifying an aircraft's shape can significantly reduce the impact of its sonic boom. Extending the nose with a long spike or employing a design featuring two sets of wings can break the shockwave into smaller, less disruptive waves.

Promising Technologies

Furthermore, emerging technologies may address the energy efficiency challenge through alternative and synthetic fuels, or even hybrid-electric planes. These innovations could pave the way for a resurgence in supersonic travel, transforming what seemed like a brief pause into a launching pad for a new era of high-speed flight.

It may yet turn out that the last few decades of steady flying were just a brief rest stop.