Photo: BOOM Supersonic
The future of flying has just been unveiled.
On Tuesday, aviation company Boom Supersonicrevealedthe design for its highly anticipated Mach 1.7 Overture passenger jet, which touts a speed twice as fast as the standard passenger airline.
Set to begin production in 2024, the supersonic plane seats 65 to 80 people and uses 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The fuel efficiency is even more impactful because the diameter is larger in the front and smaller in the back of the body of the plane.
United Airlines has already expressed interest in using the jet in the near future, posting a photo of the new design on Instagramwith the caption, “Our hearts went BOOM! 😍 Behold the all-new@boomsupersonicdesign, coming to the skies in 2029.”
“The aircraft is now designed for manufacturability and for maintenance,” Boom founder and CEO Blake Scholl toldFast Companyon Tuesday. “The tail-mounted engine in the old design would have been difficult to reach and maintain.”
Added Scholl: “Everything we’ve been saying for the last few years about fuel efficiency about the airplanes remains true.”
Of the seating, he said, “It’s 65 in a very luxurious interior. At 80, it’s still nice, but it’s not as spacious. We’re working on an update to the interior, which we will be able to share earlier next year.”
BOOM Supersonic
While Boom signed a deal with Rolls Royce back in 2020, Scholl wouldn’t reveal if the luxury car company had constructed the Overture’s engine, adding, “We’ve been working behind the scenes on the engine for a very long time because it’s a fundamental component.”
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“Going for the softer levels of sonic boom comes with an efficiency debt,” Scholl toldFast Company. “We just focus all of our efforts on fuel efficiency and put the sonic boom where nobody’s going to hear it.”
In its release, Boom said the aircraft will be made completely with carbon composite material, which it notes is lightweight yet strong in durability and performance compared to its aluminum counterpart.
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With the Overture, Boom hopes to make supersonic travel more attainable for all commercial passengers. Previously, passengers of the commercial Concorde jet could travel at a supersonic speed until it was retired in 2003. Aviation enthusiasts are dubbing the Overture the famous plane’s successor.
source: people.com
