# Supersonic cargo plane economics **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 9, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-cargo-plane-economics/546100 "2010-07-09T15:05:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-cargo-plane-economics/546100/21 "2010-07-10T01:12:24Z")
I’m thinking now that semiballistic or suborbital flights with rockets would make more sense than supersonic flight. And possibly they’d be cheaper for transpacific service, since they’d be even faster, and most of the flight would be above the atmosphere… ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-cargo-plane-economics/546100/22 "2010-07-10T01:26:18Z")
It should also be noted that delivery from one modern nation to another is always less than 24 hours. If you can get something to where you want it within that time frame, I think most people are satisfied. ---
**Author:** ![Kilmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@Kilmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilmore)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-cargo-plane-economics/546100/23 "2010-07-10T06:50:47Z")
When the US Air Force develops a Supersonic Transport that can drop 3 Abrams tanks off at Bagram Base in Afghanistan from Fort Knox Kentucky in less than four hours without using a supersonic tanker (good luck with that) I think we might be ready to see the technology in general circulation to make it economical. If it’s any consolation, the Air Force would love to see that happen. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-cargo-plane-economics/546100/24 "2010-07-10T07:48:05Z")
> [@sweeteviljesus](#): > > I have heard that what makes the cost of typical flight possible was the fact that passenger airliners were also stuffed with cargo, at least on some flights. Profits reaped from shipping fares helped subsidize the cost of a seat. Is this true? I don’t know if it still holds true but there was a time when passengers were bumped for freight on trans-ocean flights. When you consider how many $10 envelopes you could board for the weight of 1 passenger it was a lucrative part of the flight. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2010, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-cargo-plane-economics/546100/25 "2010-07-10T13:17:07Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > I suppose the only cargo that really need transporting that far that fast are humans or human organs, or perhaps biological samples, and for the last two I’m sure the military would be glad to use a F15 or something. Even with really sensitive stuff you’d be OK with cryogenic storage for a few more hours in a conventional plane. Human transplant organs can’t be frozen, but I’ll guarantee there’s somebody within a few hours drive who needs it just as much as your recipient on the other side of the world. Basically, 10x the cost for air freight is enough to justify finding another way to do everything. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supersonic-cargo-plane-economics/546100.md?page=1)