Odd Lots: The US Company Building a New Supersonic Jet (Podcast)
We talk all the time about the United States attempting to become a powerhouse in advanced manufacturing, and frankly, a lot of it just sounds like talk that’s not going anywhere. Ambitious pronouncements from politicians and industry leaders often don't translate into tangible progress on the factory floor or in the skies. But if you peer closely, you'll find there are indeed companies out there trying to turn these lofty aspirations into concrete realities. One such fascinating, and indeed audacious, example is Boom Supersonic.
For anyone who remembers the sleek, powerful lines of the Concorde, the idea of commercial supersonic air travel might feel like a relic of a bygone era, an ambitious dream that ultimately proved too expensive and niche to sustain. Yet, Boom Supersonic, an 11-year-old company based in Denver, Colorado, believes that the second act for supersonic flight is not just possible, but imminent. They've been quietly – or perhaps, not so quietly – amassing significant resources in their quest to build a new supersonic jet for commercial air passengers, having already raised hundreds of millions of dollars from investors who share their vision.
What makes Boom's endeavor so compelling is their conviction that just because the business model of the Concorde didn't work out in the end, there's no inherent reason there can't be a viable market for modern supersonic travel. The Concorde, for all its glamour, was a product of 1960s technology, hampered by its reliance on a thirsty, loud engine design and the operational complexities of a bilateral agreement between two nations. Its limited routes, high ticket prices, and the ultimate ban on overland supersonic flight due to sonic booms effectively grounded its long-term commercial viability.
Boom's approach is distinctly different, rooted in a confluence of technological advancements and a refreshed understanding of market dynamics. They're not just aiming for speed, but for speed that’s also economically and environmentally sustainable. This means leveraging modern composite materials to build lighter, more efficient airframes, and critically, developing quieter, more fuel-efficient engines that can potentially mitigate the sonic boom issue. The promise is a jet that can halve travel times across vast distances, enabling a business traveler to conceivably do a round trip across the Atlantic in a single day, or opening up new possibilities for leisure travel.
Of course, the challenges are immense. It's one thing to design an aircraft on paper and raise capital; it's another entirely to bring a complex machine like a supersonic jet to certification and mass production. There are regulatory hurdles, particularly around noise and emissions. The economics of operating such an aircraft, even with modern efficiencies, will still be a key factor in airline adoption. And the shadow of the Concorde's commercial failure looms large, serving as both a cautionary tale and a powerful motivator.
Yet, Boom Supersonic presses on, a testament to the enduring spirit of innovation that, at its best, defines American industry. Their journey is a litmus test for whether the talk of advanced manufacturing can truly translate into a new generation of groundbreaking products that reshape how we live and work. If they succeed, it won't just be a win for them; it will be a resounding statement about the capabilities and ambitions of U.S. engineering and manufacturing in the 21st century.
