The last commercial supersonic flight took place on October 24, 2003, when British Airways operated flight BA002 from New York to London. Since then, the world has waited over two decades for a new entry into supersonic travel. Blake Scholl, the CEO of Boom Supersonic based in Denver, is optimistic that we won’t have to wait much longer for the next chapter in supersonic aviation.
Boom’s upcoming aircraft, called Overture, is designed to carry 64-80 passengers, although it remains in development. Meanwhile, the company has made a significant milestone: on January 28, 2025, their one-third-scale demonstrator jet, XB-1, successfully broke the sound barrier for the first time. This test flight is a crucial step in demonstrating the airframe technology that will be implemented in the future Overture model.
As the aviation industry reflects on supersonic travel’s potential return, Boom Supersonic aims to redefine the skies with innovative designs and accessible speeds, rekindling the excitement that accompanied the original era of supersonic flights.