It’s 10 years since the crash of the Air France Concorde in Paris, which heralded the beginning of the end for supersonic air travel. Is supersonic passenger flight something we should aspire to again? Or does it now rank very low on the list of engineering and business priorities?
A return to supersonic air travel is a great aspiration for the future, however given the current economic conditions it’s not something I can see being a reality for a very long time.
Allan Wilson, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire
Although it was expensive, there was a demand for it. However, there doesn’t appear to have been any detrimental effect on the business world with the absence of the aircraft. It was a major luxury, however, alternatives are being created as the world obviously recognises a demand for this from the more slightly well off (or those with large expenses accounts). People now have far more equipment available to them on long haul flights that they can still travel relatively quickly, in comfort and still carry out their business needs whilst in the air.
I don’t believe that Supersonic airline travel is at the top of the Engineering priority list as the focus is Noise reduction, SFC reduction and passenger increases per aircraft… small, supersonic aircraft don’t really meet these targets!
Chris Tague, Derby
I think the world's engineering priorities have changed in this new energy and resource conscious age we are now in. Perhaps Britain's engineering knowledge should be directed to new projects such as ITER which could help solve our need for cheap and clean energy.
Ashley Kingston, Barkisland, Halifax
Supersonic passenger flight is a wonderful engineering achievement, but is not a very inefficient way to go on holiday. We’re better off concentrating our efforts on lowering the environmental impact of aircraft.
Antony Boyle, Edenthorpe, Doncaster
Personally I would like someone to sort out teleportation, rather than supersonic flight, so that I could get to all the places I promise people I’ll be!!
Caroline Breen, Saltney, Chester
Sad though the demise of Concorde was, in the economic and environmental climate we live in today, supersonic air travel makes no sense at all. With the advent of the internet and video conferencing the main original driver for faster air travel has been completely removed.
Andrew Peach, Black Bourton, Oxon
I am sure there are still people who would like to be able to fly as fast across the Atlantic – but the vast majority of travellers are more interested in cost, and the politics of global warming must surely mean that fuel-inefficient supersonic travel is anti-social.
Barry Kempster, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
If Boeing had come up with an American equivalent of Concorde, we would still be enjoying supersonic passenger flight today. I don't think the Americans would have put so many restrictions on Concorde flying supersonic within their airspace if they had got one of their own.
Brian Rowney, Astley, Manchester
Production of a supersonic passenger aircraft was a unique and outstanding engineering achievement, with a tremendous learning spin-off for engineering and technology.
But nowadays, do we need to travel the globe in a few hours when there are advancing forms of remote communication such as teleconference, video conference and e-mail?
Regrettably, supersonic passenger travel is hard to justify in economic terms… but wouldn’t I like to work on it again!!
Barry Durrant, Harpenden
In terms of my priorities it ranks below ground level. With all the security hassles at airports I plan never to fly again. All non-military aircraft research should be stopped now, as well as all extensions to airports. Civil aircraft design should be frozen and production should be curtailed.
Andy Borucki, Field End, Ruislip
I'm torn... although a superb piece of engineering, I assume that its regular passengers have managed to find alternative methods of travel and of carrying out their business since the aircraft was grounded, begging the question why would we need supersonic travel? On the other hand, engineering is about pushing the boundaries and making progression for the good of the people, and if enough research is done into supersonic flight maybe the tech' could become cheap enough for it to become a mass market travel option. I'm torn... but a new Concorde would be great to see.
Chris Jefferson, Wirral, Cheshire
When the Concorde programme was conceived, the UK was thick with organisations and skills that could support the design and build. Technology, employment and the economy should have benefitted directly and from spin-offs. Forty years on, the remaining UK aero industry 'shares' design and build with organisations spread across Europe and the rest of the world. Who would benefit from a new SST project? Unless it's the UK, why bother?
Bill Jones, Hockley, Essex
Although I would like to see it, supersonic air travel will only return if the potential income exceeds the costs. The requirement for business travel should reduce with increased Videoconferencing and higher costs. Without some breakthrough technology the financial return is unlikely.
Andrew Taylor, Horeston Grange, Nuneaton
There never was a viable business model. It takes so long to get to and from the airport that supersonic travel made very little difference to the total travelling time. People just won’t pay for it.
Chris Kirk, Beaconsfield, Bucks
With the development of advanced telecommunications and greater emphasis on fuel efficient rather than speed I don't see large scale supersonic passenger travel making a comeback. However a supersonic business jet (or very rich boy’s toy) would be a distinct possibility for those in big business insecure enough to need one.
Andy Fitton, Burton-on-Trent, Staffs
Supersonic passenger travel was a fantastic achievement; however it was always a novelty rather than a passenger solution. The real challenge is to maintain air travel as an environmental and economic method of travel for the masses.
Alistair Wilson, Invergowrie, Dundee
Airline travel is important, but for most passengers and journeys, comfort and cost are the priorities. The aspirations should be to reduce primary flight costs through higher efficiency and lifetime engines and advanced material airframes, to reduce cabin noise and to serve edible food.
Dr Andrew Pinkerton, Heaton Mersey, Stockport
Decreasing flight times will do little to offset the ever increasing delays and checks at the airport before and after the flight. So no, it's not a good use of engineering resources.
Bob Andrews, Quorn, Loughborough
I can recall a lunchtime lecture by Barnes Wallis at Imperial College in the late 60's when he advocated hypersonic transport beyond Concorde. Hopefully there will always be scope and resources (financial and natural) for such visionaries to explore and exploit far-reaching innovation.
Alan Constable, Allestree, Derby
I don’t think supersonic travel is that important. Even as a director I don’t think my time is that important, it’s unlikely to ever be fuel efficient so I really cannot see it being justified.
Chris Williams, Surbiton
The cost of Supersonic flight in the past was prohibitive for the majority of the population and was considered a luxury even by those who could afford it. We should definitely aspire to it again but not in the next 10 years at least. The recent ash cloud highlighted how vulnerable some businesses now are with both international and domestic flights suspended. Imminent focus should be on developing faster road, rail and sea links between Ireland, GB and mainland Europe.
Brian Kennedy, County Derry
Surely it is every engineer's duty to push themselves and each other to achieve great things. Concorde was one of those achievements and the aerospace field should strive to exceed past successes.
Adam Stubbs, Peterborough
Supersonic flight was effectively terminated by the Paris crash. I don't believe commercial supersonic flight will ever make a comeback due to economics; all the focus is now correctly on moving greater numbers of passengers in more comfort with greater fuel efficiency.
Mike Brown, Wilmington, Dartford
Following on from the historic achievements of Concorde in a modern day aviation context would not be easy. Establishing cost-effective supersonic flight would require the collaboration of Boeing and Airbus in a joint venture. However, therein could lie more challenges, complexities and constraints than all the potential technical problems combined.
Alan Carter, Port Erin, Isle of Man
To never build some form of supersonic (or even hypersonic) passenger transportation would be a great shame. Sadly, aside from concepts, the viable technology for this that fits with our environmental concerns and financial restraints does not yet exist. Until it does, as the Icelandic volcano reminded us, we should be grateful for what we have!
Alastair Miles, Yate, Bristol
Concorde was an icon of Anglo-French "one-up-manship" showing the Russians and the Americans "we are cleverer". Good PR but commercially and environmentally a flop. Times have changed, environmental concerns, global recession changed priorities. What we need now is "Cleaner not Faster!”
Alan J Cook, Braintree, Essex
Concorde’s supersonic travel came at a high price both financially and environmentally. Supersonic passenger flight should be an aspiration but the methods we use to achieve it shouldn’t cost the earth.
Ben Pearce, Teesside
Concorde was a technology driver at its time; today the requirements to reduce costs and emissions are drivers in their own right. I would like to see another Concorde but doubt that government or passengers would be prepared to pay the cost to develop or fly in it.
Chris Chinn, Leicester
As engineers we should be constantly pushing boundaries and trying new things, but it’s a supply and demand world. If there’s a demand then we can supply it, but we have a higher obligation to use our resources wisely.
Ben Zabell, Abingdon, Oxon
With the growth of internet communication is there really a need to get across the pond any quicker? The benefit would arise if it stimulated further development into more efficient mainstream engine technology.
Brian Miller, Helmshore
Anyone with long legs and/or small children knows that air travel is not much fun, halving journey times would make a big difference. Supersonic travel that is commercially viable and environmentally sustainable is definitely something we should aspire to.
David Andrews, Newborough, Peterborough
Now we have such developed means of electronic communications, and all available 24/7, is there the need to get anywhere quickly? There are many things (a decent UK railway system, cancer treatment and medical advances, energy conservation, etc) I would put higher on the list of priorities.
Bob Cuthbertson, Fulwood, Preston
Definitely an aspiration for engineering, but dare I say, not necessarily of the most benefit to society as at the moment. There are bigger problems to solve for the entire globe, rather than how to move relatively small numbers of (wealthy?) people very fast over long distances.
Scott Cameron, Littleover, Derby
Rapid mass transport and low emission long distance travel seems more appropriate. Concorde looked fantastic, sounded great but was it worth the money?
I am more interested in economical (i.e. cheap!) travel Manchester to London than in rapid transatlantic flight. Can we afford status symbols like Concorde any more?.
Clive Scott, Manchester
Air transport is a commercial enterprise where safety is a key priority. Also engine efficiency is a key priority both commercially and for the environment. Concorde was an amazing engineering achievement but it was not a commercial success. The Concorde crash raised questions on the safety of supersonic travel. Supersonic travel is also not fuel efficient and therefore not environmentally friendly. I therefore believe it is a low business priority and therefore a low engineering priority. Should we aspire to in the future? That is a different question, man is always trying to push the boundaries of his knowledge and therefore we should aspire to researching new technology.
Mark Blowers, Leatherhead, Surrey
Having landed in the Peruvian jungle only to find my luggage was in Miami, I think the greatest good could be done for the greatest number of people by alleviating the misery and incompetence facing passengers at airport terminals. Providing exclusive travel for the likes of Joan Collins is a very low priority.
Clive Renton, Chippenham
Concorde was an inspirational example of elegant design, and an aspirational ideal.
However, the modern obsession with security, plus other infrastructure problems around airports means that the time taken to fly anywhere is more about what happens on the ground than the time in the air. This has rather reduced the effectiveness of supersonic flight.
Ann Cooper, Stroud
Supersonic passenger flight seems to be a natural evolution of sub-sonic passenger flight. It is something that should be aspired to, and developed as technology allows to ensure it is environmentally sustainable and safe.
Ben Murray, Loughborough