It's a classic aerodynamic problem: most wing shapes that perform well at high speeds by minimizing "drag" don't have the "lift" needed for takeoff. The solution for Concorde was an elegant delta ...

The Concorde passenger jet set a record when it flew between New York City and London in 2 hours, 52 minutes, 59 seconds. The supersonic plane could fly at more than twice the speed of sound. But just ...