The world hasn’t seen commercial supersonic travel in nearly 20 years since Concorde retired in 2003, but all of that is about to change with the development of a new eco-friendly passenger aircraft.
Meet Overture – The world’s fastest passenger airliner developed by Denver-based Boom over the sound.
With 26 million hours of design and testing, the Overture will be powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as it flies at Mach 1.7 over the ocean, carrying 68-80 passengers for approximately 5,000 miles.
The updated design features four engines that will keep weight and temperature in balance, also reducing the size requirements for wing-mounted engines.
Bohm says that smaller engines will reduce the thrust requirements for each engine.
And the lower the thrust – the quieter they run.
“With no afterburners and noise-free engines, Overture’s takeoff will blend in with existing long-haul fleets, resulting in a quieter experience for both passengers and airport communities,” bubble He said on his website.
The distinct sonic thrust people hear when a supersonic aircraft moves can irritate nerves and windows. But unlike the Concorde, the roar of the foreground could be heard above the ocean to not disturb the people on the ground.
net zero carbon and SAF
Overture’s engines will run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel as they fly at Mach 1.7.
Boom says Overture’s environmental impacts were taken into account when designing the new aircraft, and this will help the company on its journey to achieving net zero carbon by 2025.
“Environmental performance is considered in all aspects of the introduction, from design and production to aviation and end-of-life recycling,” Boom said on its website. “The engineering team prioritizes spinning by reusing used tools, recycling components on the shop floor and utilizing additive manufacturing techniques that result in reduced manufacturing waste and lighter, more fuel-efficient products.”
In its design, the Front will incorporate lighter, stronger and thermally stable carbon composite materials into most of its construction.
Lighter aircraft will make the aircraft more fuel efficient, making it more environmentally sustainable.
Another environmentally friendly aspect of the introduction is the use of sustainable aviation fuels.
What is SAF?
SAF offers the same performance as conventional jet fuel but with a much smaller carbon footprint.
The fuel is made from various types of sustainable resources, such as used cooking oil and animal fat residues, to name a few.
Fuselage and gull wing design
The front is optimized for speed, safety and sustainability.
The nose fuselage has a larger diameter at the front of the aircraft and a smaller diameter towards the rear, which reduces drag and maximizes fuel efficiency as it cruises at supersonic speeds.
In addition, Bohm says that the design of the gull wing will allow air to flow smoothly around and over the aircraft.
This will enhance the aircraft’s supersonic capability while maintaining efficiency at slow speeds.
Bohm says the benefit of the wing design and its ability to fly slower means higher overall safety since it will take off and land at slower speeds.
Travel times
So far, Bohm says, two airlines and the USAF have signed on to buy the offered airlines.
United Airlines says it will purchase 15 aircraft once safety, operational and safety requirements are met, with options to purchase another 35 aircraft.
Japan Airlines also said it will buy the planes and have pre-ordered 20 planes.
In addition, Boom and the USAF are currently developing forward configurations intended for government transportation.
So, how long will it take to reach popular international destinations?
New York to London:
- Current travel time: about 7 hours
- Opening travel time: 3 hours and 30 minutes
Los Angeles to Sydney:
- Current travel time: about 15 hours
- Opening travel time: 8 hours
Tokyo to Seattle:
- Current travel time: Almost 9 hours
- Opening travel time: 4 hours and 30 minutess
Concorde
Concorde was the world’s first supersonic passenger airliner. Both British Airways And the Air France I used it commercially between 1976 and 2003.
The planes carried passengers around the world, but the aircraft’s extremely loud operation and operating cost limited its service.
Its cruising speed was faster than the lead, approaching the world at twice the speed of sound at Mach 2.04.
At this speed, the trip between New York City and London was about 3 hours.
However, Concorde was not financially profitable.
And in 2000, a Concorde from Paris to New York City crashed shortly after takeoff when runway debris crashed into the fuselage and ruptured fuel.
The result was a catastrophic fire when the plane took off from the runway.
It crashed into a hotel and restaurant a few miles from the airport, killing all 109 people on board and four people on the ground.
Subsequently, both Air France and British Airways announced that they would retire from the fleets of Concorde.
Flights with Concorde ceased in 2003, and commercial supersonic flights have been a memory ever since.