Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email
Building a supersonic plane isn't the stuff of science fiction.
For 27 years, up until 2003, the Concorde plan flew a supersonic route from NYC to London — the only problem was that it cost $20,000 a seat and the plane had 100 of them.
Now, a new startup wants to upend its legacy and provide something that's not only faster than the Concorde, but also cheaper. And it's already attracted the attention of the Virgin Group, which has options on the first 10 planes, and has offered to help manufacture it.
The 25 most romantic cities in the worldShow all 25 1 /25The 25 most romantic cities in the world The 25 most romantic cities in the world 25. San Diego, California San Diego projects a laidback, relaxed yet elegant vibe that lends itself well to romance. From its sunny beaches and small coffee shops, to the historic Hotel Del Coronado or the million dollar views in La Jolla, San Diego is the perfect place to get lost for a few days.
Find the best hotels in San Diego
Donald Miralle/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 24. Dublin, Ireland Castles, culture and cathedrals add to the romance factor in Ireland’s capital city. The scenery is stunning, with rolling green hills and clear lakes surrounding the bustling city centre. You’ll never run out of date ideas here, with galleries, restaurants and concert halls at your disposal.
Find the best hotels in Dublin
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 23. Melbourne, Australia Australian Traveler Magazine voted Melbourne the “Most Romantic City” in 2013 and described it as “A little Paris by day, a little New York by night.” With charming bars and restaurants to duck into, and beautiful gardens to wander through hand in hand, it’s easy to see why this sophisticated city topped the list.
Find the best hotels in Melbourne
Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 22. Los Angeles, USA LA has something for every type of couple. With miles of beaches, some of the best restaurants and bars in the world, a glamorous Hollywood history and sunshine nearly year round, Los Angeles is romantic simply because you’ll never get bored in this sunny city.
Find the best hotels in Los Angeles
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 21. Cape Town, South Africa Cape Town has an abundance of fine dining establishments, relaxing spas and resorts. Go for a romantic horseback ride on Noordhoek Beach, or take a sunset cable car up to Table Mountain where you can soak in the majestic views.
Find the best hotels in Cape Town
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 20. Marrakesh, Morocco Morocco is known as the “Red” city - the colour of love. From the bustling markets, spices that linger in the air, colourful tapestries that adorn the city and adventurous date ideas, Morocco is a city that will definitely ignite romance. It’s exotic, sexy and unique.
Find the best hotels in Marrakesh
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 19. Charleston, USA Charleston has been voted “America’s Favourite City” three times, and it’s nearly year round perfect weather, charming locals and rich history provide a low key backdrop to a romantic weekend away from the daily grind.
Find the best hotels in Charleston
John Moore/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 18. Jaipur, India Known as India’s “Pink City,” Jaipur will awaken all of your senses with it’s rich culture and regal history. There are temples, luscious gardens, palaces and invigorating street bazaars to explore hand in hand with your partner.
Find the best hotels in Jaipur
Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 17. New York City, USA New York is on our list simply because of the limitless possibilities it has to offer - there's truly something for every couple in the big apple. From Central Park to Rockefeller Center, the Brooklyn Bridge and beyond, NYC is bursting with scenes that inspire romance and offers the best food, drinks, theatre and nightlife on Earth, which is why it's often dubbed “The Capital of the World.”
Find the best hotels in New York
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 16. Edinburgh, Scotland Scotland’s capital city is full of mystery, intrigue and romance. With adorable tea rooms, world class pubs on every corner and Edinburgh Castle looking down on it all, there's no shortage of fun in this bustling city. The date ideas don’t end there though: if you’re feeling adventurous, you can book a ghost tour or hike up Arthur’s Seat.
Find the best hotels in Edinburgh
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 15. San Sebastian, Spain San Sebastian is a popular beach tourist destination worldwide and a quick weekend break from much of Europe. It offers sunny beaches that some say are the best in Europe, an old world ambience and gourmet cuisine which make San Sebastian the perfect backdrop for a sultry romance.
Find the best hotels in San Sebastian
RAFA RIVAS/AFP/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 14. Bath, England Bath is known for being one of the UK’s most romantic cities with good reason. This ancient city is surrounded by lush countryside and famous for its hot air balloon marriage proposals. Bath is the ideal walking city to stroll arm in arm, stopping in shops and enjoying an afternoon tea in the historic Pump rooms. Watching the sunset from the Thermae Bath Spa's (heated) rooftop pool is a particularly romantic way to end the day.
Find the best hotels in Bath
Matt Cardy/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 13. Wellington, New Zealand The capital city of New Zealand boasts a stunning harbour and no shortage of fun activities for couples. Be prepared to explore the great outdoors, discover beaches and climb mountains.
Find the best hotels in Wellington
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 12. Lisbon, Portugal Stunning views, quaint promenades and charming architecture will take you back in time when visiting Lisbon. Don’t let the Old World charm fool you though; Lisbon is quickly becoming a cosmopolitan city with growing fine dining and music scenes.
Find the best hotels in Lisbon
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 11. Montreal, Canada A little bit of Paris in North America, Montreal is a stunning blend of old world charm with a sophisticated twist. With seemingly limitless parks, cafes, and a charming city centre with plenty of after-dark options, there's something for every couple in the cultural capital of Quebec.
Find the best hotels in Montreal
KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 10. Prague, Czech Republic Prague really comes alive at night when the lights bouncing off the cathedrals, castles and charming Old World architecture make a romantic stroll through the cobbled city streets and dark alleyways a delight.
Find the best hotels in Prague
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 9. Florence, Italy CLAUDIO GIOVANNINI/AFP/GettyImages
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 8. Dubrovnik, Croatia Dubrovnik has long been a popular option for tourists around the world due to its beautiful views of the Adriatic sea. Its Old World charm will inspire romance as you stroll through the centuries-old white fortress walls lining the cliffs.
Find the best hotels in Dubrovnik
AFP/Getty
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 7. Budapest, Hungary Stunning 19th century architecture, a world class music scene and hundreds of adorable cafes lining the streets make Budapest one of the most charming and romantic cities in the world.
Find the best hotels in Budapest
ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 6. Buenos Aires, Argentina The capital city of Argentina combines a superb foodie scene and incredible nightlife. Wash a steak down with a glass of Malbec, then dance until dawn.
Find the best hotels in Buenos Aires
Joe Raedle/Getty
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 5. Bruges, Belgium You’ll feel as if you’re in the middle of a medieval fairytale in this picturesque city, which has a classical charm. Taking a boat ride through one of the city’s many canals is a must-do.
Find the best hotels in Bruges
Allsport UK/Allsport/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 4. Kyoto, Japan Kyoto is a tranquil and historic city, full of cherry blossoms in the spring. From quaint tea houses to elaborate gardens, the city is full of romantic locations.
Find the best hotels in Kyoto
KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 3. Venice, Italy Romantic gondola rides, exploring the city's hidden walkways and bridges, strolling down the piazzas - everywhere in Venice is perfect for romance.
Find the best hotels in Venice
Ian Gavan/Getty Images
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 2. Sydney, Australia With world class wineries, stunning beaches, sunshine and bustling nightlife, Sydney is second on the list simply because you’ll never run out of things to do in this vibrant city.
Find the best hotels in Sydney
The 25 most romantic cities in the world 1. Paris, France Catch a show at the Moulin Rouge, smooch under the Eiffel Tower, walk or cruise along the Seine...Paris aka “The City of Light” is the world's most romantic city.
Find the best hotels in Paris
Mike Hewitt/Getty Images
"We’re building a supersonic airplane that you can actually afford to fly. No bulls---," Boom founder Blake Scholl told Business Insider. "This thing will actually fly."
Scholl has been obsessed with supersonic planes since the Concorde stopped flying in 2003. In 2007, he set up a Google alert to track the next company to try to make one. No one ever did.
"If you look back to Concorde, it wasn’t really a technical failure, it was an economic failure," Scholl said.
By 2016, he's decided to just make one himself — and make it affordable. A flight from NYC to London would only take 3.4 hours and cost $5,000 round trip. The regularly 15-hour flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia, would be shaved down to 6 hours.
Boom's designs mean the plane would fly at Mach 2.2, or 1,451 m.p.h., more than 2.6 times faster than other airlines today. Whereas the Concorde plane fit 100 people, Boom's smaller plane would only fit 40 to keep the price down and demand up.
Supersonic travel is currently forbidden by the FAA over land, so it's starting with only international routes that cover a large portion of water, Scholl explains. His vision, though, would be to make supersonic travel available over land and water.
"The real future is supersonic everywhere. To do that, you have to show that this isn’t something that’s disruptive," Scholl says.
A rendering of Boom at Heathrow Airport (Boom) Over the past year, he's assembled a team that's worked on more than 30 different aircraft, from Virgin Galatic's Spaceship Two to helping design the autopilot for Boeing's 787. They're designing the plane so it won't have as loud of a sonic boom — where the company gets its name — thanks to both its design and its size.
Scholl promises the company will start testing subsonic flights of the airplane in late 2017 near Denver. If everything goes according to plan, it will move to testing supersonic flights at Edwards Airforce Base.
The Virgin Group, which owns Virgin Airlines, already has the options on the first 10 planes, the company announced Wednesday. Another European carrier, which is unnamed, has options on an additional 15, to a tune of $5 billion, Scholl says.
Read more:
• Tampons are used as a weapon against the EU • The bonfire of the hedge funds • Apple is unveiling a new iPhone next week
Read the original article on Business Insider UK . © 2015. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter .
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies