Future planes could travel five times speed of sound

LONDON: The passenger plane of the future could travel at five times the speed of sound, according to a report published in British newspaper.

According to the British daily, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) in its report said state-of-the-art technology will allow airlines to travel in a V-shaped group formation similar to migrating geese by the end of the century.

The report adds that, regardless of the aircraft type, passenger jets could save on fuel by flying in formation and following in each others' slipstream. A "blended wing" shape, where the wing and fuselage meld into one, will also make the planes more fuel-efficient and aerodynamic, the IME claims.