American Airlines has placed an order for 20 supersonic jets with start-up Boom Supersonic, with an option for an additional 40. The Overture jet is expected to carry between 65 and 80 passengers and reach speeds of Mach 1.7, more than twice as fast as conventional aircraft. The airline hopes to use the planes to halve flight times, with a journey from London to Miami taking under five hours instead of nine. The Overture jet is also expected to have a range of up to 8,000 km, enabling trans-Pacific flights. The planes will be powered by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), making them carbon-neutral.
Boom Supersonic is behind schedule with the development of the Overture jet, with the XB-1 demonstration aircraft yet to fly. The first test flight of the supersonic plane is expected to take place this year, with production of the Overture jet scheduled to begin in 2024, and the first commercial flight in 2026. American Airlines has not yet announced ticket prices for the flights, but Boom Supersonic has suggested prices of around $5,000, significantly lower than the Concorde, which last flew in 2003 and charged over $13,000 for a ticket from Paris or London to New York.
Environmental campaigners have criticised supersonic planes for their high fuel consumption, but Boom Supersonic has said that the planes will be powered by 100% sustainable fuel, making them carbon-neutral.
American Airlines’ order for supersonic jets from Boom Supersonic has the potential to revolutionise air travel, with the planes expected to halve flight times. The Overture jet is expected to carry between 65 and 80 passengers and reach speeds of Mach 1.7, making it more than twice as fast as conventional aircraft. The planes will be powered by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), making them carbon-neutral. Boom Supersonic is behind schedule with the development of the Overture jet, but the first test flight is expected to take place this year, with production scheduled to begin in 2024 and the first commercial flight in 2026. While American Airlines has not yet announced ticket prices, Boom Supersonic has suggested prices of around $5,000, significantly lower than the Concorde. Environmental campaigners have criticised supersonic planes for their high fuel consumption, but Boom Supersonic has said that the planes will be powered by 100% sustainable fuel, making them carbon-neutral.
