When the Concorde first hit the skies in the 1970s, it could fly from London to New York in just under three hours.

But despite being able to travel at twice the speed of sound, the futuristic supersonic jet failed to attract passengers and was sent into decommission in 2003.

Now researchers claim that Concorde-style jets could be making a comeback, and are working on a supersonic plane that does not produce an Earth-shaking sonic boom.

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When the world's first supersonic jet, the Concorde, pictured, hit the skies in the 1970s, it could fly from London to New York in just under three hours

HOW TO REDUCE SONIC BOOMS In a conventional supersonic aircraft, shockwaves from the nose, cockpit, inlets, wings and other features come together as they move through the atmosphere into strong shocks emanating from the nose and tail. These are known as bow and tail shocks, respectively. As these shockwaves pass over the ground, air pressure rises sharply, declines, then rises rapidly again - it's this that produces the classic 'double-bang' sonic boom. Reshaping the aircraft to produce a longer, more slender shape is the best way to generate shockwaves of lower, more equal strength that do not form into such strong bow and tail shocks. Nasa and other organisations are working on creating shapes to reduce sonic booms. Advertisement

Researchers have claimed that the development of super-fast aeroplanes has so far been hindered by the loud noise created by the planes' sonic boom.

But recent advances in noise reduction technology, along with falling commercial flight prices, could make supersonic travel viable within ten years.

'It represents a shrinking of the world, just as the transcontinental railroad and subsonic aviation did before it,' Samuel Hammond, a research fellow at the Mercatus Centre at George Mason University in Virginia, told Wired.

'But it also stands to reverse a four-decade innovation stagnation in aviation.'

His study found that the technology to build quiet supersonic planes is within reach.

'Aircraft engineering has significantly improved since the time when the Concorde was flying,' he noted in a research paper.

'With lighter materials, more efficient engines, better computer modelling, and more experience, it is more than possible to create an aircraft today that is both faster and more affordable than the Concorde was.'

In November 2015, Airbus announced it was working alongside tech start-up Aerion to build a supersonic plane called the AS2 (artist's impression)

THE AERION AS2 Capacity: Up to 12 passengers Length: 170 feet (51.8 metres) Wingspan: 61 feet (18.6 metres) Height: 22 feet (6.7 metres) Wing area: 1,350 ft² (125 m²) Maximum speed: Mach 1.5 (1,217 mph (1,960 km/h) Range: 4,750 miles to 5300 miles (8797 km to 9816 km) Advertisement

The find comes as tech companies are racing to come up with the first viable supersonic plane since the Concorde.

Two tech start-ups, Aerion and Spike Aerospace, plan to have their supersonic planes ready for 2023.

In November 2015, Airbus announced it was working alongside tech start-up Aerion to build a supersonic plane that could fly at speeds of 1,200mph (1,931km/h).

The company claimed that its AS2 plane will be capable of supersonic travel, allowing passengers to travel between London and New York in just three hours, and Los Angeles to Tokyo in six.

It will fly at a top speed of 1,217mph (1,960 km/h), which is almost as fast as Concorde, which flew at 1,350mph (2,170 km/h).

The team has so far made initial designs for a carbon-fiber wing structure, fuselage, landing gear and a fuel system.

The AS2 plane will be capable of supersonic travel, allowing passengers to travel between London and New York in just three hours

Design features include wings which reduce overall drag by 20 per cent, allowing for lower fuel consumption and longer range and a luxurious 30ft-long cabin that will seat up to 12 passengers.

A key innovation is the jet's long thin shape, which helps reduce the noise created from the sonic boom.

In a conventional supersonic aircraft, shockwaves from the nose, cockpit, inlets, wings and other features come together as they move through the atmosphere into strong shocks emanating from the nose and tail.

As these shockwaves pass over the ground, air pressure rises sharply, declines, then rises rapidly again - it's this that produces the classic 'double-bang' sonic boom.

THE SPIKE AEROSPACE S-512 Length : 131ft

Wing span : 60ft

Cabin length, height and width : 40ft (12 metres), 6.2ft (two metres) and 6.2ft (two metres)

Maximum passenger capacity : 18

Tops speed : 1,100mph of Mach 1.6 Advertisement

Reshaping the aircraft to produce a longer, more slender shape is the best way to generate shockwaves of lower, more equal strength that do not form into such strong bow and tail shocks.

'We see clear and achievable technical solutions to the design of a supersonic jet, and a realistic road map for helping Aerion proceed toward construction and flight,' Airbus senior vice president Ken McKenzie said in November 2015.

But the AS2 faces competition from the Spike Aerospace S-512, a plane designed by a team of engineers from Boston.

They claim their plane will reach Tokyo from LA in just five hours and London to Mumbai in four.

'It will save passengers time so they can explore more of the world,' the company said.

'Wouldn't you love to go hiking in New Zealand for the weekend, or fly to Paris for lunch?'

But the AS2 faces competition from the Spike Aerospace S-512, pictured in an artist's impression, which was designed by a team of engineers from Boston

Both companies claim their supersonic planes are just years away from hitting the skies.

But Dr Hammond and his team have pointed out that the industry is being held back by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ban on civil supersonic flight over the United States.

They have called for the 1973 ban to be replaced with a noise restriction.

'In 1973, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned civil supersonic flight over the United States, stymieing the development of a supersonic aviation industry,' they said.