Boom’s not bust

The Overture features a string of technical innovations designed to give it an advantage over Concorde. An augmented reality vision system, for example, will help pilots see the runway in front of them without needing to accommodate a moveable nose, while advances in engine technology will allow conventional jet engines to power it from take-off to supersonic flight.

The original Concorde flew for the first time in 1969 but its reputation never recovered from a fatal crash in 2000 that killed all 109 passengers onboard. Extortionate ticket prices, problems with noise and competition from a new generation of traditional aircraft led to its early retirement in 2003. Virgin Atlantic, led by Sir Richard Branson, made a late play to acquire British Airways’ aircraft, but the proposal was knocked back.

Boom, though, isn’t the only company hoping to reintroduce supersonic travel. Spike Aerospace’s S-512 will carry 22 passengers and hopes to begin flight testing this year, while NASA is working on its own concept it claims won’t generate a sonic boom. The aircraft can reduce the sonic boom to a quieter ‘thump’ – compared to slamming a car door – because its tapered nose breaks up the shock waves traditionally created when an aircraft surpasses the sound barrier.

For now, though, Boom leads the race. And while tickets at launch are likely to be eye-wateringly expensive, the plan is for them to retail at around a quarter of those of Concorde. Or, as the company’s founder put it after the successful test, “Our ultimate goal is to bring the benefits of supersonic flight to everyone.”