Aircraft models following in the footsteps of Concorde presently stationed at the runway
The world of aviation is gearing up for a significant change, with a new generation of supersonic aircraft poised to revolutionise travel. At the forefront of this change is Boom Supersonic's Overture, a commercial jet designed to carry between 64 and 80 passengers at speeds of Mach 1.7 (roughly 2,100 km/h).
The Overture's production will take place at the newly opened "Overture Superfactory" in North Carolina. Major carriers including United Airlines, American Airlines, and Japan Airlines have placed orders for more than 130 Overture aircraft, signalling a strong market demand for this ground-breaking technology.
One of the Overture's main selling points is its reduced noise footprint. Unlike previous supersonic aircraft like the Concorde, the Overture is equipped with non-afterburning engines and is constructed from carbon-fibre composites, which help in reducing the disruptive "boom" to a muted thump. The first flight of the Overture is expected in 2026, with commercial services planned for around 2029 or 2030.
Meanwhile, other players in the supersonic aircraft market are also making strides. Boom Supersonic's X-59 QueSST, an experimental aircraft developed in partnership with NASA, is focused on reducing the disruptive "boom" even further, with the goal of eliminating sonic booms over populated areas. The X-59 QueSST is not intended for passenger service but is a step towards enabling future commercial jets to operate supersonically over land without causing significant noise disturbance.
Spike Aerospace is developing the S-512, a supersonic business jet for up to 18 passengers. The S-512 features a high-speed cruise without disruptive sonic booms over populated areas and an innovative "windowless" cabin with digital screens providing panoramic views.
China's state-owned manufacturer COMAC is developing the C949, a supersonic aircraft designed to carry 28 to 48 passengers in an all-business-class layout. One of the C949's main selling points is a much quieter sonic boom, reportedly no louder than a hairdryer. However, as of mid-2025, there are no recent publicly available updates about the C949's development status.
The new generation of supersonic aircraft offers high-speed travel alongside environmental responsibility and improved passenger comfort, heralding a new golden age of supersonic flight, faster, quieter, and more accessible than ever before. If these projects progress as planned, the 2030s could see a resurgence of supersonic travel that was last seen with the Concorde in the 1970s and 1980s.
References:
- Boom Supersonic
- Boom Supersonic
- Boom Supersonic
- Boom Supersonic
- United Airlines
