[irishjuggler]

My understanding is that regulations intended to combat noise (sonic booms) are huge factor behind the stagnation in commercial aerospace speed over the last 50 years. Does Boeing have a plan to address the sonic boom issue? Also, the Concorde was expensive to maintain and operate, and its high fares proved fatal when travel dipped post 9/11.

With all that said, I'd love to see this sort of thing really happen. It's sad how little innovation has happened in commercial aerospace during the last 60 years compared to the 60 years before that.

[pierrem15]

If I were to guess, improved design would reduce the boom, plus at 95,000 feet, the air density is so low and the distance so large, would anyone hear it?