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Boom Supersonic Boom Overture

Boom Supersonic · Widebody / Heavy / Commercial Aviation · USA · Digital Age (2010–present)

Boom Supersonic Boom Overture — Widebody / Heavy / Commercial Aviation
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Boom Supersonic's Overture is a proposed Mach-1.7 commercial supersonic airliner from Denver-based Boom Technology, and the most credible attempt to revive supersonic passenger flight since Concorde retired in 2003. Blake Scholl founded the company in 2014 and has pursued a deliberately conservative, customer-driven path: signing letters of intent and orders before pouring concrete on a factory, and validating the design with a subscale XB-1 prototype before committing to the full-size aircraft.

As currently configured, Overture will carry 64–80 passengers — fewer than the cancelled Boeing 2707's 277, but in some layouts more than Concorde's 120 — at a Mach 1.7 cruise. That is slower than Concorde's Mach 2.04, but the airframe is sized around four 35,000-lbf engines that cruise without afterburner, sidestepping the propulsion choice that wrecked Concorde's economics. Range is targeted at 4,250 nautical miles, enough for transatlantic and selected transpacific routes.

Boom's XB-1 demonstrator, a one-third-scale single-engine technology aircraft, made its first flight in March 2024 from Mojave Air and Space Port and broke the sound barrier in February 2025. Construction of the Overture production facility in Greensboro, North Carolina is under way. Service entry has slipped repeatedly: it was initially set for 2027, is now officially "late 2020s," and independent observers think early 2030s is more realistic.

Customer commitments to date include United Airlines (15 firm + 35 options, 2021), American Airlines (20 firm + 40 options, 2022), and Japan Airlines (20 options, 2017). The hardest problem has been the engine: Rolls-Royce withdrew in 2022, leaving Boom to develop its own "Symphony" turbofan with Florida Turbine Technologies as design partner, GE Additive on manufacturing technology, and Standard Aero on sustainment. As of 2026, no commercial supersonic passenger service operates anywhere in the world.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Overture is a supersonic passenger jet made by a company called Boom Supersonic. It is being built in Denver, Colorado. A man named Blake Scholl started the company in 2014. The goal is to fly people faster than the speed of sound.

Overture will carry between 64 and 80 passengers. That is smaller than most big airliners today. It will cruise at Mach 1, which means it flies faster than the speed of sound. This is faster than a normal passenger jet, but a little slower than the famous Concorde plane.

The Concorde stopped flying in 2003. Since then, no supersonic passenger jet has taken its place. Overture could be the first new one. It has enough range to fly across the Atlantic Ocean and some parts of the Pacific Ocean.

Boom first tested a smaller plane called the XB-1. The XB-1 is a one-third-scale model, so it is much smaller than a real Overture. It flew for the first time in March 2024. It broke the sound barrier in February 2025. This was a huge step for the team.

Airlines have already shown interest by placing orders. Boom wants Overture to be flying passengers by the late 2020s. It is one of the most exciting new planes in the world right now.

Fun Facts

  • Overture will fly faster than a rifle bullet travels through air.
  • The XB-1 test plane is only one-third the size of the real Overture — smaller than many small private jets.
  • Overture can fly about 4,250 nautical miles, far enough to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
  • The Concorde retired in 2003, so there has been no supersonic passenger jet for over 20 years.
  • Overture uses four powerful engines that do not need afterburners, which helps save fuel costs.
  • The XB-1 broke the sound barrier for the first time in February 2025.
  • Blake Scholl founded Boom Supersonic back in 2014 with a dream of fast passenger flight.
  • Overture could carry up to 80 passengers at once across the sky at supersonic speed.

Kids’ Questions

How fast will the Overture fly?

Overture will fly at Mach 1.7, which means it goes faster than the speed of sound. Sound travels fast, and this plane beats it! That is much quicker than the passenger jets most people ride today.

What is the XB-1 and why is it important?

The XB-1 is a smaller test plane built to try out ideas for the Overture. It is one-third the size of the real jet. It flew for the first time in March 2024 and broke the sound barrier in February 2025. It helps the Boom team make sure the full-size plane will work well.

When will Overture start flying passengers?

Boom Supersonic hopes Overture will carry passengers by the late 2020s. That means it could be flying soon! Airlines have already put in orders, so people are excited for it to arrive.

Why did supersonic passenger flight stop before Overture?

The Concorde was the last supersonic passenger jet, and it stopped flying in 2003. It cost a lot to run because it used afterburners that burned huge amounts of fuel. Overture is designed to avoid that problem, which could make it cheaper to operate.

Variants

XB-1 'Baby Boom'
One-third-scale subsonic-to-supersonic technology demonstrator with a single engine. First flight March 2024; broke the sound barrier February 2025.
Overture
Production airliner: 64–80 passengers, Mach 1.7 cruise, 4,250 nm range. In development, service entry late 2020s / early 2030s.

Notable Operators

United Airlines (planned)
Launch customer commitment of 15 firm + 35 options announced June 2021.
American Airlines (planned)
20 firm + 40 options announced August 2022.
Japan Airlines (planned)
20 options plus investment announced in 2017.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will Boom Overture start flying passengers?

Boom currently targets "late 2020s" for entry into service, though the original 2027 date has slipped repeatedly. Independent industry observers consider early 2030s more realistic given the engine development risk and the airframe certification work still ahead.

How is the Overture different from Concorde?

Overture is smaller (64–80 passengers versus Concorde's 120), slower (Mach 1.7 versus 2.04), and shorter-ranged — but fundamentally different in propulsion. It is designed to cruise without afterburner, whereas Concorde sustained Mach 2 specifically by burning afterburner in cruise. That single change is what makes Overture-class economics potentially viable; Concorde's afterburner-dependent operating cost was a major reason it was retired.

What is the Boom Symphony engine?

Symphony is Boom's in-house turbofan, picked up after Rolls-Royce withdrew from the programme in 2022. Florida Turbine Technologies is the design partner, GE Additive supplies manufacturing technology, and Standard Aero handles sustainment. Each Symphony delivers about 35,000 lbf of thrust with no afterburner, and Overture will use four of them.

How fast will Boom Overture fly?

Overture is designed to cruise at Mach 1.7 — roughly 1,300 mph — over water, where supersonic flight is permitted. Over land, where sonic-boom rules restrict speed, the aircraft would slow to high subsonic. NASA's X-59 QueSST programme is testing low-boom acoustic profiles that may eventually relax overland regulations.

Will the Overture be profitable?

Operating economics hinge on actual seat-mile cost against business-class subsonic alternatives, ticket-price acceptance in the market, and dispatch reliability. Boom has indicated transatlantic fares would sit close to current business-class pricing. Skeptics point to the structural cost problems that doomed Concorde; supporters argue that modern composites and digital design tools change the cost picture entirely.

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