Boom supersonic unveil their first prototype commercial aircraft
We used to be able to travel supersonic, before the Concorde program was scrapped, but now those days are returning.
Key takeaways
- Boom Supersonic has been at the forefront for the relaunch of supersonic commercial flight with a design of its own, the Overture, a Concorde-like jet that's slated for a 2025 debut.
- The $200 million plane could cut down travel times in half if successful and make the world a significantly smaller place.
- The single-pilot demonstrator known as the XB-1 will take to the skies starting next year and pave the way for the Overture.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2020) 'Boom supersonic unveil their first prototype commercial aircraft', 311 Institute, 2 November. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/boom-supersonic-unveil-their-first-prototype-commercial-aircraft/ (Accessed: 8 October 2026).
The days of supersonic travel are almost here again and leading the charge isn't Airbus or Boeing, but new entrants, like Lockheed Martin and NASA, and smaller startups including one Colorado based aviation firm that just rolled out a flyable prototype. Although, that said, Boeing do have an absolutely stunning hypersonic aircraft on the drawing board but that's another story ...
Boom Supersonic has been at the forefront for the relaunch of supersonic commercial flight with a design of its own, the Overture, a Concorde-like jet that's slated for a 2025 debut. The $200 million plane could cut down travel times in half if successful and make the world a significantly smaller place.
The Concorde was known for three-hour transatlantic crossing between the East Coast and Europe, making it possible for travellers to have breakfast in New York and lunch in Paris, or breakfast in London and a second breakfast in Washington. But standing in the way between today's planes and the next supersonic age is flight testing — thousands of hours of it.
Boom just took the wraps off of the prototype that will perform flight testing and prove its technology viable for wide-scale commercial flight. The single-pilot demonstrator known as the XB-1 will take to the skies starting next year and pave the way for the Overture.
Airlines have already shown an interest and desire to get back into supersonic travel as Virgin Atlantic and Japan Airlines are both investors in the company that has racked up 30 pre-orders. Even the US Air Force wants to get on board for a potential supersonic or even hypersonic Air Force One.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
We used to be able to travel supersonic, before the Concorde program was scrapped, but now those days are returning.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Boom Supersonic boomsupersonic.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 2 November 2020. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2020). Boom supersonic unveil their first prototype commercial aircraft. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/boom-supersonic-unveil-their-first-prototype-commercial-aircraft/
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