Supersonic aircraft might not be plagued by the problem of sonic boom if a radical design proposal by a Cambridge academic could be made to work. Professor John Ffowcs Williams believes it is possible to build an aeroplane that could pass through the sound barrier without generating the characteristic and disturbing sonic boom, which prevents Concorde flying supersonic over land and severely limits its routes.

Ffowcs Williams is a world expert in noise-reduction technology and is currently Master of Emmanuel College and Professor of Engineering at Cambridge University. In the late 1960s, while at Imperial College, he was invited by Rolls Royce to lead a research consortium to solve the Concorde noise problem. The result was the development of "anti-sound" technology, now routinely used to silence some aircraft noises.

Prof William's concept for avoiding sonic booms was patented in 1986, but involves a radically new aircraft configuration. The upper and lower surfaces of the wing assembly would be formed to allow for smooth airflow, and thus minimise disturbance of air, thereby eliminating (or at least reducing) the sonic boom effect. Concorde is still the only supersonic passenger jet in service but many in the airline industry foresee a market for a supersonic business jet and minimising sonic boom could be crucial to its acceptance.

This month, the Royal Academy of Engineering recognised Ffowcs Williams' contribution to the understanding of sound, and resulting innovation in international transportation, with the award of the Whittle Medal. The Medal recognises the spirit of the late Sir Frank Whittle, one of Britain's most creative engineers who was instrumental in the development of the Jet Engine. This is only the second time the Medal has been awarded; the first award was made in 2001 to the creator of the World Wide Web, Professor Tim Berners-Lee.