American Airlines aims to have the world’s largest supersonic fleet with the placement of a non-refundable deposit on 20 Boom Supersonic Overtures, with an option for 40 more. Overture is being designed to carry 65-80 passengers up to Mach 1.7 over water.
On Tuesday (August 16, 2022) American Airlines announced they have placed an undisclosed non-refundable deposit for 20 Boom Supersonic Overture jets, with an option for 40 more. When delivered, the order and options would make American Airlines the largest operator of supersonic aircraft in the world. Overture is being designed to carry between 65 and 80 passengers twice as fact as today’s airliners, reaching speeds of up to Mach 1.7 over water, with a range of up to 4,250 nautical miles. Cutting the flight times to over 600 routes in half, Overture could fly between Miami and London in under five hours, and between Los Angeles and Honolulu in around three hours. The full production design of Overture was revealed in July 2022, and the aircraft is slated to roll out in 2025 and enter passenger revenue service by 2029.
In Tuesday’s announcment, American Airlines’ Chief Financial Officer, Derek Kerr, said,
“Looking to the future, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to deliver for our customers. We are excited about how Boom will shape the future of travel both for our company and our customers.”
Also commenting on the new order, Boom Supersonic’s Founder and CEO, Blake Scholl, said,
“We are proud to share our vision of a more connected and sustainable world with American Airlines. We believe Overture can help American deepen its competitive advantage on network, loyalty and overall airline preference through the paradigm-changing benefits of cutting travel times in half.”
As part of the latest design, Overture will feature four powerful wing-mounted engines that will allow the aircraft to travel at Mach 1.7 over water and nearly Mach 1.0 over land. The four engine configuration has also been designed to reduce that aircraft’s noise footprint. For takeoff, Overture will use the world’s first automated noise reduction system, and will also fly without afterburners, thereby achieving the same strict regulatory noise levels as the latest subsonic airliners. Overture also features a contoured fuselage to minimize drag and maximize fuel efficiency, as well as gull wings sculpted to enhance performance and handling, while ensuring safety and stability at any speed. The aircraft will primarily be constructed with carbon composite materials which are lighter, stronger and thermally more stable than traditional metal construction.
American Airlines’ purpose is to “Care for People on Life’s Journey.” Shares in the American Airlines Group, Inc., trade on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol AAL and the company’s stock is included in the S&P 500.
Colorado (U.S.) – based Boom Supersonic is currently developing a 65-80 passenger supersonic jet that will fly twice as fast as today’s airliners, while operating on 100 percent SAF. The Boom Overture’s commercial orderbook, including options, currently stands at 130 aircraft with conditional commitments from Japan Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines, which has placed a non-refundable deposit on 20 Overtures, with an option for 40 more. Boom is also working with the USAF and Northrop Grumman for potential military and defense applications of Overture. Tier One Suppliers include Collins Aerospace, Eaton Safran Landing Systems, and Rolls Royce, among others. Designed and built in the U.S., the Boom Overture is scheduled to enter production in 2024, roll out in 2025, begin flight testing in 2026, and enter revenue passenger service in 2029.
Source(s): American Airlines, Boom Supersonic