You've Been Lied To About the End of Concorde

The Concorde, a symbol of French and British pride, offered the fastest route from Paris to New York, flying at over twice the speed of sound. Despite its technological prowess, it disappeared, often attributed to commercial failure and the 2000 crash. However, a deeper reality suggests a fierce economic war by the US, which, after the failure of its own supersonic program in the 1970s, used diplomatic influence, protectionism, and flight bans to undermine Concorde's profitability. Today, the US is developing the X-59 to overcome these very restrictions, now that the path is clear.

After WWII, the US dominated civil aviation with efficient, mass-transit aircraft like the Boeing 707. French and British manufacturers struggled, leading their governments to seek a technological leap with supersonic flight. In the 1950s, it was believed that faster travel was the future, especially for transatlantic business. The Concorde project, a collaboration between France and England, aimed to transport 100 passengers at 2200 km/h, targeting high-value routes between Europe and the US.

The US initially underestimated the Franco-British Concorde project, focusing its resources on military technology during the Cold War. However, when the Concorde project was formalized in 1962, followed by the Soviet Tu-144, the US realized it was falling behind. Fearful of losing their monopoly to supersonic aircraft, American airlines even placed options on Concorde, much to the anger of President Kennedy. In response, the US launched the highly ambitious Boeing 2707, aiming for Mach 3 and 300 passengers, triggering a fierce three-way race.

The US aggressively tried to undermine Concorde, with the CIA head urging the British Prime Minister to abandon the project. This led to research on sonic boom impact, notably the Bongo II experiment over Oklahoma City. While the tests showed some tolerance for booms, the results were interpreted to encourage American supersonic development through patriotism. This era also fueled anti-boom groups, initially targeting the Boeing 2707, but later shifting their focus to Concorde as America's project faltered.

As Concorde's prototype was unveiled in 1967, the American Boeing 2707 project faced significant design challenges and cost overruns, ultimately leading to its cancellation in 1971. The Soviet Tu-144, despite flying first, proved unreliable and unsafe, eventually being grounded. This left Concorde as the sole commercial supersonic aircraft. However, the victorious Europeans faced renewed opposition from the US. The anti-boom groups, no longer having an American competitor to fight, redirected their efforts to block Concorde, portraying it as an unwanted foreign intrusion.

The US government, no longer having its own supersonic project, quietly supported the anti-Concorde movement. Exaggerated claims about environmental damage and health risks were spread by major US newspapers. On March 28, 1973, the US banned supersonic flights over its territory, effectively killing innovation by setting a speed limit instead of a noise limit. This was followed by the 1970s oil crisis, which quadrupled fuel prices, further making Concorde uneconomical. Despite an initial battle, New York's port authority banned Concorde landings, citing noise concerns. These restrictions drastically limited profitable routes, leading to only 14 Concordes being sold, making it a commercial failure. High maintenance costs and Airbus's decision to stop supplying parts ultimately led to Concorde's retirement in 2003, three years after the 2000 crash.

Twenty years after Concorde's retirement, American startups like Boom are developing new supersonic jets like the Overture, aiming for commercial flights by 2029. Despite initial plans for ocean-only flights due to existing regulations, the US government, now with no European competition and American engineers leading the charge, is keen to change the 1973 law. Projects like NASA's X-59 aim to develop quieter supersonic technology, potentially leading to new noise regulations that favor American designs. However, the new supersonic ventures face financial hurdles and stricter European environmental regulations, raising questions about whether the US will face similar challenges as the Concorde once did.