Reducing Travel Times: Boom’s Supersonic Plans Target Business Class Market
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At the 2024 Farnborough International Air Show, Boom Supersonic’s founder and CEO, Blake Scholl, promised a revolutionary passenger experience for travellers who value speed and time, with four-hour transatlantic flights being possible before the end of the decade. In a press conference, Scholl detailed Boom’s progress around the company’s Overture supersonic aircraft, with a planned 2029 launch date and an initial focus on business and first-class markets.
Scholl opened the session by criticising what he claimed to be a lack of innovation in the Boeing and Airbus “duopoly,” which he said neither serves airlines or passengers well. Claiming that “we’ve stopped progressing and, in many ways, we’ve gone backwards,” Scholl stated that Boom’s Overture would revolutionise long-haul travel.

As a result, Scholl says the 130 aircraft on order from United, American, and Japan Airlines are just the start. He envisages a future where “supersonic airlines are going to need well over 1,000 Overture aircraft” to meet passenger needs.
Overture aims to reduce flight times on long-haul routes significantly. In particular, Scholl imagined flying from Washington, D.C., to London in under four hours or crossing the Pacific from Tokyo to Seattle in just four and a half. Designed as an all-business class airliner for transoceanic routes, Overture promises fares 75% lower than those of the retired Concorde.
Boom’s market research indicates strong passenger demand for supersonic travel. Scholl cited a survey where 97% of passengers expressed interest in supersonic options, with 87% willing to switch airlines and sacrifice frequent flyer miles for such travel. He emphasised the improved passenger experience compared to Concorde, promising a more comfortable and affordable option. In response to a question, Scholl also said that Boom Supersonic would ensure that passengers with reduced mobility could be accommodated in the new aircraft and that tests were currently ongoing to ensure that this would be the case.
Boom reported ongoing hardware testing for its Symphony engine program, with a full-scale engine core expected by late 2025. In Farnborough, the company announced that it has partnered with StandardAero for engine assembly and testing in San Antonio, Texas. Additionally, Boom’s XB-1 demonstrator aircraft is undergoing preparations for future test flights, aiming to break the sound barrier by year-end.
The company has completed construction of its Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is designed to produce up to 33 aircraft per year and has the potential for expansion, where up to 100 aircraft could come out of the factory every year.
Scholl faced some sceptical questions about the timeline during the session. The 2029 go-live date was seen as very ambitious, especially since Boom Supersonic is developing both a new aircraft and engine. Scholl, however, claimed this was entirely achievable.
Also, developing a new supersonic aircraft is incredibly capital-intensive. Blake Scholl has previously spoken of the need for $8 billion+ to bring the aircraft to commercial flight. As a result, further funding rounds will almost certainly be required as 2029 approaches.