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The world hasn’t seen commercial supersonic flight in the 20 years since Concorde was retired in 2003, but that’s all about to change thanks to the development of a new environmentally friendly airliner.
Meet Overture – The world’s fastest airline built by Boom Supersonic in Denver.
With 26 million hours of design and testing, the Overture operates on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) flying at Mach 1.7 over the ocean, carrying 68-80 passengers up to nearly 5,000 miles.
The improved design includes four engines that balance weight and temperature, while also reducing size requirements for wing-mounted engines.
Boom says smaller engines lower thrust requirements for each.
And the pressure is low – they run more quietly.
“With no afterburner and buzz-free engines, Overture’s launch will blend in with the existing long-haul fleet, creating a quieter experience for passengers and the airport community,” Boom said on its website.
The signature sound people hear when an airplane goes supersonic rattles nerves and windows. But unlike the Concorde, the Overture’s sonic boom can be heard over the ocean without disturbing people on land.
Net Zero Carbon and SAF
Overture engines run on 100% sustainable aviation fuel when flying at Mach 1.7.
Boom took Overture’s environmental impact into account when designing the new airline, which it says will help the company on its journey to achieve net zero carbon by 2025.
“Environmental performance is being driven into all aspects of Overture, from design and production to flight and end-of-life reuse,” Boom said on its website. “The engineering team prioritizes circularity by reusing used equipment, recycling materials on the shop floor and using additive manufacturing techniques to achieve less manufacturing waste and lighter, more fuel-efficient products.
In design, the Overture incorporates lightweight, strong and thermally stable carbon composite materials throughout most of its construction.
A lighter aircraft makes the airline more fuel efficient, making it more sustainable for the environment.
Another environmentally friendly aspect of Overture is the sustainable use of aviation fuel.
What is SAF?
SAF provides the same performance as conventional jet fuel but has a much smaller carbon footprint.
Fuel includes a variety of sustainable resources such as used oil and animal fat waste to name a few.
Fuselage and gull-wing design
Over-optimized for speed, security and durability.
The Overture fuselage has a larger diameter at the front of the aircraft and a smaller diameter at the rear, which reduces drag and increases fuel efficiency when traveling at supersonic speeds.
Additionally, Boom said the gullwing design allows air to flow more evenly around the aircraft.
This enhances the aircraft’s superior flight ability and remains efficient at low speeds.
Boom takes advantage of the wing design and its ability to take off and land at slower speeds, increasing overall safety.
Travel time
So far, Bohm says two airlines and the United States Air Force have signed on to buy Overture Airlines.
United Airlines has stated that it will purchase 15 aircraft when safety, operational and security requirements are met, and it has set options to purchase an additional 35 aircraft.
Japan Airlines has announced that it will buy the airlines and has already ordered 20 of them.
In addition, Boom and the United States Air Force are currently developing custom Overture configurations for government transport.
So how long does it take to get to popular international destinations?
From New York City to London;
- Current travel time: Approximately 7 hours
- Excessive travel time; 3 hours 30 minutes
From Los Angeles to Sydney.
- Current travel time: Approximately 15 hours
- Excessive travel time; 8 hours
From Tokyo to Seattle:
- Current travel time: Approximately 9 hours
- Excessive travel time; 4 hours 30 minutesS
Concord
The Concorde was the world’s first supersonic passenger plane. British Airways and Air France used them commercially between 1976 and 2003.
Although the planes carry passengers all over the world, the high volume of the aircraft and the high cost of operation have limited the service.
Its cruising speed was even faster than the Overture, doubling the speed of sound around the world at Mach 2.04.
At this speed, the flight between New York City and London was about 3 hours.
However, Concorde was not financially profitable.
And in 2000, a Concorde flight from Paris to New York City crashed shortly after the runway when debris entered the plane and leaked fuel.
The result was a serious fire accident as the plane took off from the runway.
The plane crashed into a hotel and restaurant a few kilometers from the airport, killing 109 people on board and four people on the ground.
After that, both Air France and British Airways announced that they would retire their Concorde fleet.
Flights with Concorde ceased in 2003, and commercial supersonic flights have been a memory ever since.
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