Rolls Royce pulled out of its partnership with Boom Technology—a setback in Boom’s efforts to build a supersonic jet.
Key details
Rolls-Royce announced it will no longer consider making jet engines for Boom Technology Inc.’s proposed supersonic aircraft.
Rolls-Royce was working with Boom Technology on a conceptual study, but announced this week that it would no longer be doing work with the company. Rolls-Royce stated that the aviation supersonic market is not currently a priority.
Boom said it has “become clear that Rolls’ proposed engine design and legacy business model is not the best option for Overture’s future airline operators or passengers,” says Bloomberg.
Why it’s news
The Overture aircraft is a new generation jet and will be the world’s fastest airliner.
Overture is being designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7—or twice the speed of today’s fastest commercial aircraft—with a range of 4,250 nautical miles. Optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability, it is also being designed to fly more than 600 routes around the world in as little as half the time.
Flying from Miami to London in just under five hours and Los Angeles to Honolulu in three hours are among the many possibilities, according to the Boom Supersonic website.
The aircraft is set to roll out in 2025 and carry its first set of passengers by 2029, but this engine setback could hinder the company’s plans.
Last month, American Airlines announced a partnership with Boom. The airline agreed to purchase up to 20 Overture aircraft, with an option to buy an additional 40.
Backing up a bit
The Overture isn’t the first supersonic aircraft. The Concorde was the first supersonic passenger-carrying commercial airplane, introduced in the 1970s. The aircrafts were utilized by both British Airways and Air France, before officially being retired in 2003 because of the high cost of maintenance and reduced demand.