6 August 2019
United Airlines announces deal to buy a fleet of 1,300mph airliners, capable of speeds of Mach 1.7.
United Airlines (UA) has announced it is buying 15 Boom Supersonic airlines, capable of flying at twice the speed of today's fastest aircraft. The 'Overture' aeroplanebuilt by the Denver-based aerospace company will join UA’s global fleet, in a bold move that the airline says represents “a leap forward in returning supersonic speeds to aviation”. It will enable United Airlines to connect more than 500 destinations in nearly half the time.
The roll-out of the Overture is slated to commence in 2025 with the first passengerslikely to fly by 2029. Concorde, the last supersonic passenger jet, entered service in 1976 and continued flying for 27 years. Boom Supersonics’ 88-seat Overture aims to be the first to have zero carbon emissions. The aircraft slashes many flight times in half - with a journey from London to Newark in New Jersey taking three and a half hours. Currently, in a standard aeroplane, the same route takes around seven.
The record for the fastest flight by a commercial airline between New York and London is two hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds - set by Concorde in 1996. The iconic aircraft, which was synonymous with the rich and famous, was retired from service in October 2003 after British Airways and Air France blamed a downturn in demand and increasing maintenance costs.
United Airlinesare confident that the Boom jet will be 75 per cent cheaper to operate than the Concorde - thanks to advancements in engines and lighter fuselages. Those savings could make it possible for UA to offer both premium and economy seating - although no final decision has been made about cabin layouts and the aircrafts are still undergoing rigorous tests. A prototype is set to make its first journey through the skies in late 2021 or in early 2022. Meanwhile Boom Supersonic founder and chief executive, Blake Scholl, described the agreement with United Airlines as a "significant step" to "create a more accessible world". The deal with includes an option for United to buy a further a 35 supersonic aircraft, also run on pure sustainable aviation fuel.
