New SST Passenger Plane
Boom's Supersonic Aircraft Overture Unveiled
Something New & Incredibly Fast in the Sky
Colorado-based Boom Supersonic may be the first aviation company to bring back super-fast, supersonic flying that ended twenty years ago with the demise of the Concorde. At the very recent 2022 Farnborough International Air Show in the UK, Boom unveiled its latest design for its ultra-sleek SST, the Overture. The vehicle will go into service in 2029 and fly at twice the speed of today's commercial aircraft. It will reach speeds of Mach 1.7 or 1,100 mph over the water and have the capacity to cut passenger travel time in half. More than 600 routes around the world are planned by Boom. The likely cost of a roundtrip seat will be 75% less than the Concorde's $12,000 average or $3,000. Boom believes that within the next decade, SSTs will be the first choice in air travel. Bottomline: you can get to your destination in half the time.
Tech Details
Overture has a very contoured fuselage and gull wings. It is composed of carbon composite materials which make it highly efficient and aerodynamic. The SST is designed to fly on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The aircraft flies on four engines and has the world's first, automated noise reduction system. The system greatly reduces take-off and landing noise. Overture won't fly supersonic over land but will hit speeds of Mach 0.94 or nearly 700 mph to maintain its blistering travel speed. The latest Overture prototype is the result of 51 design iterations, 26 million hours of software simulation and 5 wind tunnel tests.
Going Into Production & Already Being Purchased
Overture will go into production in 2024. It will have the capacity to carry up to 80 passengers. Flying at Mach 1.7 over the water, it will have a range of 4,250 nautical miles. The aircraft has the capacity to cut travel time between New York City and London in half to 3&1/2 hours. Boom's Overture is already in a financial takeoff mode. United Airlines has ordered 15 of the SST aircraft. Japan Airlines has invested $10 million in the project and has the option to order 20 Boom SSTs. Additionally, Boom has entered into a partnership with US defense contractor Northrup Grumman to develop a military version of Overture. Boom isn't alone in developing SSTs. Major global players like NASA, Lockheed Martin and Bombardier are also developing aircraft for supersonic travel.
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