Supersonic air travel may have taken a seat back ever since the Concorde was grounded by operators in 2003. Dwindling ticket sales and rising maintenance costs were just some of the reasons behind its retirement. Nevertheless, it’s not deterring startups like Boom from developing a new platform they’re calling the Overture. The latest update shares more about its Symphony engine.
Back then when commercial supersonic flights were still available, the propulsion systems were from Rolls-Royce and SNECMA Olympus. As for the Symphony, it will be a joint project between Boom, General Electric, StandardAero, and Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT). The group bills the Overture as the “world’s fastest airliner.”
With the help of its cutting-edge engines, the passenger aircraft is “optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability.” The sleek aerodynamic contours of its fuselage should minimize drag, which in turn improves fuel efficiency. Meanwhile, the company is banking on the Symphony for its lower operating costs. There are more than 70 orders of the Overture as of this writing.
Each propulsion unit can generate up to 35,000 lbs. of thrust and is 100% compatible with sustainable aviation fuel. It features a twin-spool medium-bypass turbofan configuration sans an afterburner. Furthermore, its single-stage fan helps reduce noise as it relies mostly on passive cooling for its turbines. The first flights of the supersonic airliner should be sometime in 2026.
“Boom’s strategy with Symphony is quite innovative. Their approach makes it compelling for top-tier suppliers to have the opportunity to contribute their expertise and capabilities to this exciting, breakthrough supersonic engine program,” says Chair of Singapore Aerospace Programme & former Rolls-Royce CTO Ric Parker.
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Images courtesy of Boom
