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Another supersonic hopeful, Aerion, collapsed in May despite having over $11 billion in orders and backing from aerospace giant Boeing. Rather, what the aspiring plane-makers gain is “tons of publicity, and perhaps even investor attention”. But it is unclear whether any cash has gone into the deals just yet.Īerospace consultant Richard Aboulafia of Teal Group doubts it, cautioning that purchase deals for next-generation in-development aircraft typically involve little money changing hands. Combined, JAL and Virgin Atlantic have options to acquire 30 of them. airline to place an order, agreeing to buy 15 planes with options to purchase 35 more. Last month United Airlines became the first U.S. Until this vision is realized, the significance of the Overture to the future of aviation and travel is up in the air. According to The Economist, Boom will keep operating costs 75% below those of Concorde, owed to better aerodynamics, materials and engines. Whereas the Concorde was only for the super-rich, Scholl promises to make supersonic fares attainable “for everyone” that is, everyone who can afford an all-business class flight. Boom places much emphasis on the sustainability aspect, which is a top priority for the aviation industry overall, as it is keen to address the concerns of environmentalists and meet the sustainability requirements of both regulators and airlines. Unlike Concorde’s four military-derived turbojet engines, which together burned 6,771 gallons (25,629 litres) of fuel per hour, Overture’s quieter civilian engines will use sustainable fuel. Scholl aims to make the jet everything Concorde was not in terms of sustainability and accessibility. Set to go into service in 2029, the Boom Overture is envisioned as the “fastest and most sustainable supersonic airliner”, according to Boom Supersonic’s website, transporting up to 88 passengers at 1.7 times the speed of sound. This is precisely what Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl has in mind, describing his firm’s Overture commercial airliner as “picking up where Concorde left off”. New supersonic jet technology will have to come a long way to meet modern expectations. But viewed now, through a 21st-century lens, the technology behind the exceedingly loud, fuel-guzzling aircraft loses some luster. In its heyday the jet was an engineering marvel. Talk of supersonic aircraft making a return prompts reflection on the Concorde, which began its 27-year run in 1976. Boyden's perspectives on the news and trends that are transforming industries