CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – How would you like to travel from New York to Paris in about three and a half hours?
That’s typically a 7-hour flight.
It’s possible. And a start-up company is ensuring it happens with its new supersonic jet production facility just up the road in Greensboro.
Boom Supersonic is bringing sustainable supersonic flight to the skies for the very first time. That is according to Boom President and Chief Business Officer Kathy Savitt, who emphasizes “sustainable” when raving about Boom’s Overture supersonic airliner.
Folks of a certain age will recall the iconic Concorde SST. After 27 years of commercial service, the Concorde fleet retired in 2003 due to high operating costs.
Overture is dubbed the son of Concorde.
It’s the new generation supersonic transport that pledges speed, safety, and sustainability without compromise.
“Overture will be the only supersonic airliner since Concorde. Concorde was a beautiful design, but it lacked economical and environmental sustainability. At Boom, Overture is not just going to be fast, but it will be safe and sustainable, and we’ll do it with net zero carbon,” explains Savitt, who says Overture will make the world dramatically more accessible.
This isn’t your father’s airliner. Overture will fly faster than the speed of sound, about 1300 mph, to 600-plus destinations in half the time.
“Overture is going to fly supersonic over water, twice as fast as today’s airliners.”
If you’re an aviation enthusiast or avid traveler with the need for speed, Overture will fill the bill with a premium passenger experience cruising at 60,000 feet complete with a view of the curvature of the earth.
“Overture is the only airliner in the sky that will give this kind of view,” boasts Savitt.
Ready to pack your bags? You’ve got time. The Overture is slated to be open for business, welcoming its first passengers to the skies at the end of the decade.
In the meantime, test flights will take place at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina in 2027. The airport is the site of the first Overture Production facility currently under construction.
So what will make Overture different from the iconic Concorde?
“Concorde was a beautiful aircraft when designed. We stand on her shoulders. But Overture will be quieter with no afterburners.”
Savitt says the demand for supersonic airline service is there and Boom is here to deliver. She cites a recent survey that revealed,
“97% of participants said they are ready to buy a supersonic ticket today.”
So what will it cost to fly supersonic? Boom is advertising it as affordable.
“While the pricing ultimately will be up to the particular airline that provides passenger service on Overture, we are anticipating business class fares,” explains Savitt.
American, United, and Japan Airlines have all placed orders for Overture supersonic jets.
