American Airlines announced on Tuesday that it has placed an order for 20 Overture supersonic aircraft, manufactured by the aeronautical manufacturer Boom, which plans to put them into service in 2029, a quarter of a century after the withdrawal of the legendary Concorde.
American Airlines (AA) said in a statement that it had paid a deposit and had an option for an additional 40 planes. Consulted by AFP, neither AA nor Boom provided information on the amount of this order, which comes just over a year after United Airlines committed to buying 15 Overture aircraft in June 2021, with an option for an additional 35 pieces of equipment.
However, a spokeswoman for US manufacturer Boom confirmed that the company was targeting a $200 million price tag for the Overture, as previously reported by other media. According to Boom, the Overture, with a capacity of 65 to 80 passengers, will be able to reach Mach 1.7, or around 2,100 km/h, twice the speed of the fastest planes currently in service.
Miami-London in less than 5 hours
On some routes, Boom expects travel time to be cut in half compared to current flight times. The statement mentions a flight from Miami to London in less than 5 hours, compared to just under 9 hours today. The line of the Overture, whose autonomy reaches 7,800 km, is similar to that of the Concorde, created by the French company Sud Aviation (today Aérospatiale, today integrated into the Airbus group) and the British British Aircraft Corporation (today BAE Systems).
In service from 1976 to 2003 with Air France and British Airways, the Concorde was never profitable and the abandonment of its operation was precipitated by the accident of a plane during takeoff from Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport, in which they died. 113 people in July 2000. The Overture should run 100% on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), produced from biomass, used oils or even, in the future, captured CO2 and green hydrogen. SAF can reduce CO2 emissions by 80% compared to kerosene.
Before it can carry passengers, the Overture will need to get the green light from regulatory authorities, in particular authorization to fly at an altitude of around 18km, while the limit is currently set at just under 13km for a passenger plane. . . “For years to come, supersonic travel will be an important component of our ability to serve our customers,” American Airlines Chief Financial Officer Derek Kerr said in the statement.
Source: BFM TV
