The Market Potential of Future Supersonic Aircraft

The “Orient Express” has stimulated thought about high-speed commercial flight, particularly to Pacific Rim countries. NASA has proposed a program that would lead to a M=2.7, 5500 n. mile, 250-passenger Advanced Supersonic Transport (AST) around the year 2000. This paper briefly reflects on the Concorde experience over the last ten years, and reviews the arguments for and against future supersonic transports.