Boom Supersonic has completed construction of its Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina, where it will build the Overture supersonic airliner. The facility is at Piedmont Triad International Airport.
Overture is designed to be capable of flying twice as fast as today’s commercial aircraft on up to 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
“Construction of the Overture Superfactory represents a major milestone toward ensuring the United States’ continued leadership in aerospace manufacturing,” said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. “Supersonic flight will transform air travel, and Overture provides a much-needed innovative alternative for airlines across the globe.”
This first assembly line has the capacity to produce 33 Overture aircraft per year, valued at more than US$6bn. Boom plans to build an additional assembly line, scaling to produce 66 supersonic airliners annually. The Overture Superfactory campus will also include a delivery centre.
With the building now complete, Boom will focus on putting the production floor into operation. In partnership with tooling supplier Advanced Integration Technology (AIT), Boom will begin procuring and installing tooling into the Superfactory, beginning with an advanced test cell unit. The test cell will be used to develop manufacturing processes, optimise the flow of the assembly line, and prepare staff for Overture production.
The construction completion event comes shortly after the inaugural flight of XB-1, the supersonic demonstrator aircraft for Overture. XB-1 has received a first-of-its-kind Special Flight Authorization (SFA) to Exceed Mach 1 from the FAA. Boom said the XB-1 flight test programme continues to progress in Mojave, California.
Overture’s order book stands at 130 aircraft, including orders and pre-orders from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. Boom is working with Northrop Grumman for government and defence applications of Overture. Suppliers and partners collaborating with Boom on the Overture programme include Aernnova, Aciturri, Collins Aerospace, Eaton, Honeywell, Latecoere, Leonardo, Safran Landing Systems, and the United States Air Force.
Symphony is the propulsion system that will power Overture, a Boom-developed engine with suppliers including Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT), a business unit of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Colibrium Additive – a GE Aerospace Company, and StandardAero.
