Page 10 - AAA MAY - JUNE 2019 Online Magazine

A Different Approach
Several start-ups are also racing to get
next-generation supersonic prototypes in the
air to bring back commercial travel by super-
sonic airliner. Colorado based Boom Supersonic
is building a radically faster commercial aircraft.
Boom Supersonic recently closed a US$100
million Series B investment round, bringing total
funding to over US$141 million. The proceeds of
Boom’s Series B round, which include US$56
million in new investment as well as previous-
ly-announced strategic investments, allow the
company to advance the development of its
Mach-2.2 commercial airliner called Overture.

The Boom Supersonic is a sleek 55 seat
jet with delta wings reminiscent of early
Concorde designs. “This new funding allows
us to advance work on Overture, the world’s
first economically viable supersonic airliner,”
said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom
Supersonic. “At Boom, our vision is to remove
the barriers to experiencing the planet. Today,
the time and cost of long-distance travel pre-
vent us from connecting with far-off people and
places. Overture fares will be similar to today’s
business class— widening horizons for tens of
millions of travellers. Ultimately, our goal is to
make high-speed flight affordable to all.”

The company claims that Overture will be
the most community and environmental-
ly-friendly supersonic jet ever made. “Thanks
to advanced aerodynamics and engines, the
carbon footprint will be similar to flying interna-
tional business class today. Moreover, Overture
is being designed to accommodate next-gen-
eration sustainable alternative fuels. At landing
and take-off, Overture will be as quiet as the
subsonic aircraft flying similar routes today,”
Scholl said.

Boom is currently assembling XB-1, a ⅓-scale
manned prototype of its Mach-2.2 airliner. XB-1
will be piloted by Chief Test Pilot Bill “Doc”
Shoemaker and is set to fly later this year. “As Centennial in Colorado. Selection efforts are ongoing for the man-
history’s first independently developed super- ufacturing site for Overture, which will begin passenger service in
sonic jet and the fastest civil aircraft ever built, the mid-2020s. The Virgin Group and Japan Airlines are among
XB-1 will demonstrate in flight the key technolo- five carriers so intrigued by the idea that they’ve lined up to buy
gies for mainstream supersonic flight: efficient Boom’s airplanes, should they make it to production. It’s already
aerodynamics, advanced composite materials, attracted 76 pre-orders and a US$10 million investment by Japan

and an efficient propulsion system,” he said. Airlines. Through this strategic partnership JAL will provide its
Boom is growing quickly as it ramps up devel- knowledge and experience as an airline to support Boom in devel-
opment. Currently, the company has a full-time oping the aircraft. JAL also has the option to purchase up to 20
team of more than 100 and anticipates doubling Boom aircraft through a pre-order arrangement.
this year.
To accommodate the assembly of XB-1 Ambitious Quest
and development of Overture, Boom recently NASA and a team led by Lockheed Martin are also making advances
relocated to a large, state-of-the-art facility in that bring the goal of quiet supersonic commercial travel over land

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