'World's fastest civil aircraft' to be powered by Rolls-Royce propulsion system

Aviation giant Rolls-Royce has thrown its significant expertise behind a project hoping to build the world’s fastest civil aircraft. 

Boom Supersonic is building a plane called Overture which, when completed, may be capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, with a range of 5,180 miles.

It could take passengers from London to New York in just 3.5 hours – around half the time it currently takes. 

The partnership between the two companies will focus on providing a propulsion system for the supersonic craft. 

Boom Supersonic is building a plane called Overture (pictured, artist's impression) which, when completed, may be capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, with a range of 5,180 miles

Boom Supersonic is building a plane called Overture (pictured, artist’s impression) which, when completed, may be capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, with a range of 5,180 miles 

Overture could take passengers from London to New York in just 3.5 hours - around half the time it currently takes. The partnership between the two companies will focus on providing a propulsion system to the supersonic craft

Overture could take passengers from London to New York in just 3.5 hours – around half the time it currently takes. The partnership between the two companies will focus on providing a propulsion system to the supersonic craft

Aviation giant Rolls-Royce has thrown its significant expertise behind a project hoping to build the world's fastest civil aircraft, called Overture (pictured, artist's impression)

Aviation giant Rolls-Royce has thrown its significant expertise behind a project hoping to build the world’s fastest civil aircraft, called Overture (pictured, artist’s impression)

Overture is the flagship model for Colorado-based Boom, and last year it was reported the company received around £100million investment to bankroll the programme.

Blake Scholl, Boom founder and CEO, said in a statement that the two companies have been working closely for some time. 

‘We look forward to building on the progress and rapport that we’ve already built with our collaboration as we work to refine Overture’s design and bring sustainable supersonic transport to passenger travel,’ he adds. 

Both the aeronautics companies claim the project has sustainability at its core. 

Air travel has been estimated to be at fault for around 2.5 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions, and this is expected to rise in the coming decades as travel becomes cheaper and more accessible. 

‘We share a strong interest in supersonic flight and in sustainability strategies for aviation with Boom,’ said Simon Carlisle, Director of Strategy, Rolls-Royce.   

How the propulsion system capable of breaking the sound barrier will be environmentally friendly and contribute to a carbon-zero future is, as of yet, unexplained. 

Boom hopes Overture will cost roughly the same as business-class travel and make supersonic flights more accessible. 

It estimates a one-way ticket from London to New York would cost around £2,000.  

Overture is the flagship model for Colorado-based Boom and last year it was reported they received around £100million investment to bankroll the programme

Overture is the flagship model for Colorado-based Boom and last year it was reported they received around £100million investment to bankroll the programme

Boom is currently assembling XB-1, a ⅓-scale manned prototype of its Mach-2.2 airliner. XB-1 will be piloted by Chief Test Pilot Bill 'Doc' Shoemaker and is set to fly later this year (pictured)

Boom is currently assembling XB-1, a ⅓-scale manned prototype of its Mach-2.2 airliner. XB-1 will be piloted by Chief Test Pilot Bill 'Doc' Shoemaker and is set to fly later this year (pictured)

Boom hopes Overture will cost roughly the same as business class travel and make supersonic flights more accessible

Future Overture customers include the Virgin Group and Japan Airlines, which have pre-ordered a total of 30 jets between them. The three-engine Boom aircraft have a sonic boom 'at least 30 times quieter' than Concorde, Boom claims

Future Overture customers include the Virgin Group and Japan Airlines, which have pre-ordered a total of 30 jets between them. The three-engine Boom aircraft have a sonic boom ‘at least 30 times quieter’ than Concorde, Boom claims

‘With 55 seats and seat-mile costs similar to subsonic business class, supersonic flight is practical on hundreds of transoceanic routes—making it the new norm for anyone who flies business class,’ the firm said previously. 

Boom is currently assembling XB-1, a half-scale manned prototype of its Mach-2.2 airliner.  

Its grand unveiling is scheduled for October 7.   

Future Overture customers include the Virgin Group and Japan Airlines, which have pre-ordered a total of 30 jets between them. 

The three-engine Boom aircraft has a sonic boom ‘at least 30 times quieter’ than Concorde, Boom claims. 

During landing and takeoff, the company says: ‘Overture will be as quiet as the subsonic aircraft flying similar routes today.’

A fleet of 2,000 of the supersonic passenger planes could eventually link cities across the globe. 

Concorde, the last supersonic passenger jet, entered service in 1976 and continued flying for 27 years. It is one of only two supersonic transports to have been operated commercially.

It had a maximum speed of twice the speed of sound at Mach 2.04 (1,354 mph or 2,180 km per hour at cruise altitude) and could seat 92 to 128 passengers.

Concorde was jointly developed and manufactured by Aérospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) under an Anglo-French treaty.

Air France and British Airways each received seven aircraft and Concorde was retired in 2003. 

A fleet of 2,000 of the supersonic passenger planes could eventually link cities across the globe in the future. Concorde, the last supersonic passenger jet, entered service in 1976 and continued flying for 27 years

A fleet of 2,000 of the supersonic passenger planes could eventually link cities across the globe in the future. Concorde, the last supersonic passenger jet, entered service in 1976 and continued flying for 27 years

'With 55 seats and seat-mile costs similar to subsonic business class, supersonic flight is practical on hundreds of transoceanic routes—making it the new norm for anyone who flies business class,' Boom has said previously

‘With 55 seats and seat-mile costs similar to subsonic business class, supersonic flight is practical on hundreds of transoceanic routes—making it the new norm for anyone who flies business class,’ Boom has said previously 

source: dailymail.co.uk