United Airlines has announced plans to buy 15 supersonic aircraft from US aircraft manufacturer Boom Supersonic. If all goes well, the company hopes to start flying these aircraft in 2029. In that case, it would take three and a half hours to travel from Newark, US, to London, UK, and just six hours to travel from San Francisco, US, to Tokyo, Japan.
According to the news agency AFP, United Airlines and Boom Supersonic said in a joint statement on Thursday that United Airlines will buy the supersonic aircraft, called Overture, under a commercial agreement if they meet the safety, operational and sustainability requirements set by United Airlines. They have a goal of starting passenger transport in 2029. Through this, high-speed supersonics like Concorde could return to air passenger transport.
Under the agreement between United Airlines and Boom Supersonic, 15 aircraft will be delivered initially, with United having the option to purchase an additional 35 aircraft.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby is optimistic about flying supersonic aircraft within the target timeframe. "Our goal has always been to connect people. We're working with BOOM right now. We'll be able to do better," he said.
Boom Supersonic, founded in 2014, says it has already started working with the US Air Force on a military version of the supersonic aircraft Overture.
However, many analysts are skeptical about this aircraft. In particular, they have strong doubts about the speed limit of the aircraft. One of these skeptical experts is Michel Merluzio, an expert at the consulting firm AIR. He said, "It's a great idea, but there are many questions about it." The expert predicted that the cost of each of these new commercial aircraft, from construction to obtaining permission to operate, could be between $10 and $15 billion. He said, "We have to be realistic about this." He also expressed doubts about flying this aircraft in the sky by 2029. In that case, he sees 2035 or 2040 as a suitable time to launch such commercial flights.
United Airlines and Boom Supersonic said Boom's planes would be able to fly twice as fast as current modern aircraft. In that case, it would take three and a half hours to travel from Newark to London in the United States. And it would take six hours to travel from San Francisco to Tokyo. These supersonic planes would have zero carbon emissions. They would use renewable fuels.
Are supersonic aircraft returning to the skies?
The Concorde, a commercial supersonic (two times the speed of sound) aircraft, first flew from France in the 1970s. Originally, Air France and British Airways operated the aircraft. However, due to excessive costs and environmental restrictions, these aircraft were withdrawn in 2003. Earlier, in 2000, an Air France passenger Concorde crashed, killing 113 people. At that time, the Concorde had 100 to 144 seats. Only wealthy people could afford to travel on this aircraft.
According to the US Federal Aviation Administration, due to technological developments, companies in the US and abroad are trying to build high-speed aircraft with lighter and more durable materials. In addition, efforts are being made to bring in new engine designs. These new aircraft may have to wait a little longer.
