Read the story on CNN.com
Is it finally possible to make a "quiet" supersonic jet? The folks at Lockheed Martin's fabled Skunk Works think they've designed just such an aircraft.
With advanced design and technology, they believe they have designed a plane that can cruise at about 1100 MPH, while producing only 1 percent as much noise on the ground as the recently decommissioned Concorde. All this while obtaining considerable range (4,600 miles, Chicago to Rome), and some fairly fine luxury seating.
I for one hope that they succeed. I hope that this spurs the development of affordable and quiet supersonic passenger jets. For the last 50 years, passenger planes have gone the same speed. We have not realized any gains in the speed with which we travel through the air, despite 50 years of technology evolution. It is definitely time to move around the planet faster.
