Fly from New York City to Delhi, India in just 7 hours? It may sound implausible, but Boom Supersonic aims to make this a reality by 2029 through the development of Overture – the world‘s fastest and most sustainable supersonic airliner.
Boom‘s lofty vision faces substantial financial, technical and regulatory obstacles. Yet their demonstrator jet is nearing test flights, manufacturing has commenced, and major airlines have placed orders. For a company conceived only 8 years ago, Boom has made startling progress towards reviving supersonic passenger travel.
The Fall and Rise of Supersonic Flight
Commercial supersonic travel ended in 2003 with the retirement of the famed Concorde after 27 years of service. Concorde was hampered by high costs and limited passenger capacity. A tragic crash in 2000 dealt a fatal blow to its reputation and remaining orders.
Yet the dream of fast luxurious overwater flights never disappeared. Boom Supersonic was founded in 2014 to leverage advances in materials, engineering and manufacturing to overcome the economic constraints that doomed Concorde.
CEO Blake Scholl has assembled an experienced team and attracted over $270 million in funding to date. Boom‘s over 150 employees have diligently stuck to an ambitious aircraft development roadmap.
Overture By the Numbers
So what exactly is Overture, and what performance does Boom claim it will enable? Here are the proposed key specifications:
- Cruising Speed: Mach 1.7 (~1300 mph)
- Passenger Capacity: 65-88
- Range: 4,250 nautical miles (~7900 km)
- Length: 201 feet
- Wingspan: 60 feet
- Ceiling Height: 60,000 feet
- Engines: 4 non-afterburning medium-bypass turbofans
Some notable advantages compared to Concorde: higher capacity, increased fuel efficiency, and a longer maximum range.
New York City to Delhi in Under 7 Hours
According to Great Circle Mapper software, the great circle distance from New York JFK to Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport is 7307 miles.
At Mach 1.7 with a sufficient subunitic cruise segment, Boom estimates the Overture could traverse this route in just 6 hours and 57 minutes. That‘s nearly 10 hours faster than existing commercial flights.
Boom suggests over 500 routes could potentially benefit from Overture‘s unmatched flight times. New York to Delhi is among the longest, but other major connections like San Francisco to Tokyo would see similar time savings.
Key Partnerships and Manufacturing Update
Turning the Overture concept into certified reality by 2029 remains an ambitious target. To maintain schedule, Boom is working with recognized industry partners and has broken ground on a new manufacturing facility.
In 2022, Boom tapped Advanced Integration Technology to automate Overture production at its under-construction Greensboro, NC factory. Backed by the likes of Rolls-Royce and Honeywell, AIT provides automated assembly solutions for aerospace companies.
Flight testing is also imminent for the XB-1 prototype – a 1/3rd scale demo vehicle. Recently Boom selected GE Additive and Safran Aircraft Engines to support engine development. And AeroTEC is providing engineering and certification support.
The Symphony Engine: Built for Efficiency & Speed
Achieving sustained speeds above Mach 1 requires custom engine innovations tailored for supersonic performance. Boom‘s medium-bypass turbofan design – named Symphony – aims to optimize efficiency across flight phases using:
- A high-pressure compressor with 14 stages
- Variable-geometry exhaust for noise reduction
- Specialized high-temp materials like ceramic matrix composites
Rival Aerion selected GE‘s Affinity engine for its AS2 design before the startup‘s sudden collapse. By owning Symphony‘s design, Boom retains control – but still faces immense challenges translating it from concept to high-volume production.
Environmental Considerations
Supersonic flight consumes substantially more fuel than conventional jets. Existing subsonic aircraft already account for 2-3% global carbon emissions.
Boom is targeting 100% synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) compatibility for Overture and carbon neutral operations by 2025. While SAF burns cleaner, production constraints pose sourcing questions.
By slashing flight durations, supersonic aircraft would also emit concentrated nitrogen oxide around airports. Further study is needed around these localized impacts.
The Outlook for Supersonic‘s Second Coming
With ordering commitments from major airlines, Boom‘s business case already looks stronger than Concorde‘s. Reduced operating costs translate to more flexibility on ticket prices – perhaps even premium-economy offerings.
Manufacturing and engine setbacks could delay Overture‘s 2029 entry-into-service target. And substantial regulatory approvals are still needed for civil supersonic flight over land. Noise and emissions rules drafted decades ago may require updating to enable this new generation of aircraft.
Yet Boeing forecasts sufficient long-term demand for 2,000-3,000 supersonic jets through 2040. If Overture succeeds, passengers worldwide could benefit from vastly reduced intercontinental travel times later this decade.
