Supersonic Commercial Air Travel Is On Its Way
Boom Supersonic independently designed and built the XB-1, the first civil supersonic jet in America. The XB-1’s first supersonic flight last month was a success, breaking the sound barrier above the Mojave Desert while producing a sonic boom that was inaudible from the ground. Boom’s success highlights the potential of the private sector to deliver large-scale supersonic passenger air travel—something governments have struggled to accomplish.
Boom says that its Overture supersonic passenger jet, which uses much of the XB-1’s technology, will profitably carry 64–80 passengers at a cruise speed of Mach 1.7—twice the speed of subsonic passenger jets—on over 600 routes. The jet’s features include an augmented reality system that provides pilots runway visibility otherwise inhibited by the Overture’s long nose, a carbon fiber composite airframe whose light weight is more fuel-efficient than aluminum, and specialized intakes that enable the Overture to use (relatively) quiet turbofan engines instead of the deafening turbojet engines featured on the Concorde.
Boom reports 130 Overture orders and pre-orders from airlines, including American, which will purchase 20 Overture aircraft, and United, which will purchase 15. Last June, Boom finished building its Overture manufacturing facility in Greensboro, North Carolina, which will produce 33 Overture aircraft annually. The company projects the first Overture airliners coming out in 2025, flying in 2026, and carrying passengers by 2029.
In a press release, Boom emphasizes that supersonic aircraft have historically “been the work of nation states, developed by militaries and governments,” and it’s right. The only supersonic airliners ever made, the Concorde and the
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