American Airlines and Boom Supersonic announced on Tuesday (16), an agreement to buy up to 20 Overture aircraft, with an option for an additional 40 units. The major US airline has already paid a non-refundable deposit for the initial 20 aircraft.
Overture is expected to transport passengers at twice the speed of today’s fastest commercial aircraft, bringing back the era ended with the end of the Concorde, the world’s first commercial supersonic aircraft. The idea is that the trips are more economical and emit less polluting gases than the precursor.
According to American, Overture will introduce an important new speed advantage to the company’s fleet. Under the terms of the agreement, Boom must meet industry standard operating, performance and safety requirements, as well as other customary American conditions, prior to delivery of any definitive offers on the aircraft to be produced.
“Looking ahead, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to serve our customers,” said Derek Kerr, American’s chief financial officer. “We are excited about how Boom will shape the future of travel for both our company and our customers.”
Overture is being designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers at 1.7 times the speed of sound over water – or twice the speed of today’s fastest commercial aircraft – with a range of 4,250 nautical miles (7,870 km).
Optimized for speed, safety and sustainability, Overture is also being designed to fly more than 600 routes around the world in less than half the current time. Flying from Miami to London in just under five hours and Los Angeles to Honolulu in three hours are among the many possibilities.
“We are proud to share our vision of a more connected and sustainable world with American Airlines,” said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom. “We believe Overture can help American deepen its competitive advantage in network, loyalty and overall airline preference through the paradigm-shifting benefits of cutting travel times in half.”
In July, Boom unveiled the final production design of Overture, which is due to launch in 2025 and carry its first passengers by 2029. In addition to American, United Airlines has also closed a deal to acquire the supersonic jet.
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