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Boom Supersonic Aims to Revitalize High-Speed Air Travel
Imagine traversing continents at nearly twice the speed of sound. Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom Supersonic, envisions this reality, lamenting the limitations of current air travel during a call from New York. He playfully suggests if only a supersonic jet, capable of cruising at Mach 1.7, existed to shorten his travel time to Colorado. Boom Supersonic is betting on a resurgence of public demand for rapid transit, aiming to make supersonic air travel a commercial success.
Reviving Supersonic Flight for a New Era
Boom Supersonic believes the appetite for speed is returning. As global air travel rebounds and in-person business engagements resume, the company is aggressively developing its high-velocity aircraft with a target operational date of 2029. This ambitious timeline marks a potential return to supersonic commercial flight nearly three decades after the iconic Concorde’s retirement.
Differentiating from the Concorde Legacy
While maintaining a sleek, elongated design reminiscent of its predecessor, Boom Supersonic distinguishes itself from the Concorde. Scholl characterizes Concorde as a “premature start” to the supersonic age. Boom’s envisioned 64-seat airliners are designed to drastically cut travel times, potentially completing transatlantic journeys in just three and a half hours – twice as fast as conventional commercial flights. This enhanced speed could unlock numerous new routes, connecting cities like Madrid and Miami, or Tokyo and Seattle. Furthermore, Boom intends to leverage advanced software and algorithms to dynamically adjust flight speed and altitude based on real-time atmospheric conditions. Industry analyst Brian Foley notes Boom Supersonic’s popularity within Silicon Valley circles, highlighting investment from figures like OpenAI’s Sam Altman.
Addressing Skepticism and Overcoming Past Hurdles
Despite the optimism, Boom Supersonic faces scrutiny, with critics drawing parallels to Concorde and questioning its ability to surmount the challenges that contributed to Concorde’s downfall. Key concerns revolve around factors such as cost, market demand, safety protocols, regulatory approvals, and environmental impact – all of which remain significant potential obstacles for supersonic air travel.
Tackling the Sonic Boom Challenge
Boom Supersonic has seemingly addressed a major impediment faced by Concorde: the disruptive sonic boom. This loud thunderclap effect occurs when an aircraft surpasses the speed of sound, creating shockwaves due to the rapid displacement of air molecules. Concorde, flying at Mach 2, was unable to mitigate this noise pollution.
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Mach Cutoff Technology: Eliminating the Boom
Guy Gratton, aviation and environment expert at Cranfield University, explains that Concorde’s sonic booms caused significant disturbances, even damaging property and leading to noise regulations in Europe and a 1973 US ban on overland supersonic flight. This restriction confined Concorde to primarily transatlantic routes. However, Boom Supersonic aims to overcome this limitation and penetrate the domestic business travel sector by flying at Mach 1.7 over land, claiming to have effectively eliminated the sonic boom through innovative physics.
Refraction and the Quiet Supersonic Flight
Boom Supersonic has implemented “Mach cutoff,” a refraction theory. Similar to how a pencil appears bent in water due to refraction, sound waves from the aircraft are refracted upwards towards colder atmospheric layers as the plane flies. This upward refraction continues until the sound waves are directed into space, theoretically eliminating the ground-level sonic boom.
Successful Test Flights and Engine Development Challenges
During supersonic test flights conducted in January and February using a scaled-down prototype, Boom Supersonic reportedly demonstrated Mach cutoff technology six times, with no audible sonic boom detected on each occasion. However, Overture, Boom’s supersonic airliner, is still in the early stages of development, especially concerning its proprietary engine. Developing a new engine is an unusual step in the commercial aviation industry, where manufacturers typically rely on established engine suppliers. Analyst Foley raises doubts about Boom Supersonic’s current team’s experience and capabilities to successfully develop a supersonic engine.
Favorable Political Climate and Market Reception
Despite engine development hurdles, Boom Supersonic’s timing may be advantageous. The emergence of a US-built civilian supersonic jet aligns with governmental emphasis on domestic manufacturing and deregulation. Political figures have shown interest in supersonic flight, and substantial funding has been secured from billionaire investors.
Competition in the Supersonic Sector
Boom Supersonic faces competition in the quiet supersonic aircraft development arena. NASA is actively testing its X-59 experimental jet, and reports indicate that China’s Comac is also developing a similar aircraft. This emerging competition could drive further legislative momentum for supersonic aviation.
Consumer Demand and Affordability Considerations
Ultimately, the success of supersonic travel hinges on consumer demand. The Air France Concorde crash in 2000 and the subsequent decline in air travel post-9/11 significantly impacted Concorde’s viability. Public desire for supersonic flight remains uncertain. While Boom Supersonic’s surveys indicate strong passenger interest, independent data on market demand is currently limited. Affordability is a major factor influencing demand. While Concorde tickets were exorbitant, Boom Supersonic aims for transatlantic fares comparable to business class. However, the price point remains substantial, particularly in the current economic climate.
Niche Market or Mainstream Travel?
Analyst Foley argues that supersonic aviation remains a “niche market,” not a mass-market segment. Although major airlines have expressed preliminary interest in supersonic aircraft, Foley suggests this may be more of a public relations strategy. He believes cost-per-seat economics will ultimately prevail, limiting supersonic jets to a smaller market. The private jet sector might be a more suitable market, but even with their adoption, projected sales volumes remain relatively modest.
Environmental Concerns and Sustainability
The private jet industry faces increasing criticism for its environmental footprint due to higher fuel consumption per passenger mile. Aviation’s overall contribution to global emissions is significant and projected to increase. Scholl asserts that Overture will be compatible with sustainable aviation fuel and argues against perceiving technology and environmental concerns as mutually exclusive. However, public perception may differ. Concorde faced environmental opposition in the 1960s, and environmental activism contributed to flight bans. Experts like Gratton raise concerns about launching fuel-intensive supersonic jets amidst a climate crisis, highlighting the environmental implications of higher fuel consumption despite technological advancements.
The Future of Supersonic Flight: A Balancing Act
Gratton acknowledges the technological achievement of Boom Supersonic’s endeavors. However, he concludes by posing a critical question: whether pursuing supersonic flight is a prudent course of action given the environmental challenges and economic considerations, leaving the ultimate viability of supersonic air travel still in question.