Denver, Colorado, USA

Boom Technology is a Denver-Colorado-based startup founded in 2014 that seeks to build a new aircraft called the Overture in what the company calls the world’s fastest supersonic airliner as more companies seek to revive supersonic commercial flight nearly 20 years after the grounding of the Concorde, history’s only successful supersonic airliner.

The goal is the development of supersonic aircraft to usher in a new era of commercial air travel.

Key technologies developed in the new Overture include advanced carbon fiber composites and a refined delta wing.

Overture proves that in-flight key technologies are safe for efficient travel at supersonic speeds.

Overture is a Concorde-like plane that plans to fly at Mach 1.7, or about 1,300 miles per hour, which is greater than the speed of sound.

Up to 88 passengers will fly in Overture in a 1-1 all-business class configuration. 

Estimated cost of the flight to anywhere in the world would be $100.00 in four hours.

Overture aims to also fly above traditional aircraft at a cruising altitude of 60,000 feet. No current commercial aircraft can currently access that height.

In June 2021, Boom partnered with United Airlines, which is on track to become the first US airline to fly supersonic jet aircraft thanks to an order for 15 of Boom’s flagship aircraft, Overture.

Japan Airlines has also pitched in $10 million for the development of the airliner and with an option to purchase 20.

Boom is also envisioning a recycling process that may not begin for 40 years but requires attention now.

Boom is building sustainability into every aspect of Overture, its supersonic commercial airliner, including the eventual decommissioning of the aircraft.

The team is envisioning a recycling process that may not even begin for 40 years. But, it requires attention and research now.

Boom’s Head of Sustainability and Environment, Raymond Russell, explains the approach: “Because there’s no international standard for recycling many of the materials we’ll use to build Overture, our team is focused on selecting materials that have the highest probability for safe recycling, in addition to weighing critical aspects such as safety and performance. Looking closely at recycling, we’re examining the likelihood of whether a market will exist for those recycled materials in several decades. If we were to recycle Overture today, the supply chain may not support the effort. But in 30 to 40 years from now, that same supply chain should be thriving.”

Up to 92% of plane components are now recyclable, a significant improvement on the earlier estimated rate of 70%.

Overture, with an estimated $200 million price tag (plus options and interior)—and a cruising altitude of 60,000 feet—is slated to roll out in 2025, fly in 2026, and carry passengers by 2029—less than 30 years since the iconic Concorde’s retirement from the skies in 2003.

Project: Overture
Designers: Boom Technology, Inc.
Manufacturer: Boom Technology, Inc.