This study assesses the global market potential for supersonic airline transportation by evaluating worldwide premium ticket sales figures based on so-called marketing information data tapes (MIDTs). Origin-destination demand data were collected from an internet database and subjected to various processings and additions. After discussing factors of influence regarding market response, the final data files are used to estimate possible future demand for variously sized supersonic airliners. Nomenclature LOS = Length of stay MIDT = Marketing Information Data Tape O/D = Origin-destination (city pair) SST = Supersonic transport

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As eluded in previous studies, with special reference to those carried out in the European framework, some innovative high-speed aircraft configurations have now the potential to assure an economically viable high-speed aircraft fleet. They make use of unexploited flight routes in the stratosphere, offering a solution to the presently congested flight paths while ensuring a minimum environmental impact in terms of emitted noise and green-house gasses, particularly during stratospheric cruise. Only a dedicated multi-disciplinary integrated design approach could realize this, by considering airframe architectures embedding the propulsion systems as well as meticulously integrating crucial subsystems. In this context, starting from an in-depth investigation of the current status of the activities, the STRATOFLY project has been funded by the European Commission, under the framework of Horizon 2020 plan, with the aim of assessing the potential of this type of high-speed transport vehicle to reach Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 by 2035, with respect to key technological, societal and economical aspects. Main issues are related to thermal and structural integrity, low-emissions combined propulsion cycles, subsystems design and integration, including smart energy management, environmental aspects impacting climate change, noise emissions and social acceptance, and economic viability accounting for safety and human factors. This paper aims at summarizing the main challenges and goals of the STRATOFLY project, highlighting the steps forward with respect to the past European Projects and underlying the next planned goals.

We lay out the thesis that modern supersonic air transportation has the best chance of realization by commencing with small aircraft. A possible implementation path is described with reference to the Aerion AS2 supersonic business jet. Further, the paper entails an overview on the economic and operational challenges of supersonic airliners.

We lay out a methodology for optimizing supersonic flight paths by calculating sonic boom carpets of supersonic flight trajectories in specific atmospheric conditions, supposing that sonic booms must not make landfall. The process starts with route drafting, followed by iterative mission simulation, boom carpet computation, and flight path adaptation.