Boom Supersonic Makes NBAA-BACE Debut

A somewhat unusual exhibitor for a business aviation trade show, Boom Supersonic is making its debut at NBAA-BACE this year. The Colorado-based startup, which is developing a boomless supersonic airliner, insists it has no plans to produce a supersonic business jet—at least not yet.

“Boom does not currently plan to build business jets, but we are supportive of opening up competition in the space,” a company spokesperson told AIN. “With so many developments and milestones toward the return of supersonic travel in 2025, now is a great time to engage with this audience.”

During flight tests earlier this year, Boom’s XB-1 supersonic demonstrator aircraft broke the sound barrier six times without creating an audible sonic boom on the ground, successfully demonstrating what the company calls “boomless cruise.” According to Boom, the 60- to 80-passenger Overture supersonic airliner will enable flights up to 50% faster over land and twice as fast over water.

“We believe that XB-1 demonstrating a practical solution for sonic booms will lead to innovation in the broader industry, and it has already influenced the regulatory landscape for supersonic travel,” Boom’s spokesperson said.

In June, President Trump signed an executive order directing the FAA to repeal a 52-year ban on supersonic flight over land in the U.S. and to establish new aircraft noise certification regulations. “Lifting the ban will drive innovation in supersonic travel, not only for commercial but also for business jets focused primarily on overland routes,” the spokesperson said. “Boom is focused on commercial airliners, but we do believe the repeal of the supersonic overland ban will unlock innovation and competition in both the commercial and business aviation space.”

“Now that supersonic flight is allowed over the U.S., a supersonic business jet absolutely should exist,” they added. “Boom would gladly license our ‘boomless cruise’ technology—which includes the Symphony engines—to anyone interested in making this product. We hope someone does this—if not, we’d consider entering the market once Overture is in service.”

Boom is developing its own Symphony turbofan engines for the Overture, and the company plans to begin ground tests soon in a new facility it is building at the Colorado Air and Space Port. “By early 2026, we expect to produce thrust during fully-operational engine core tests,” the spokesperson said, adding that the tests will analyze the performance of the compressor, combustor, and turbine section. “We are building the first full-scale engine, and more than half of the parts on that engine are already in manufacturing.”

“Building Overture…remains our primary objective,” the spokesperson told AIN. “Overture 1 is the first supersonic airliner in the family of aircraft Boom plans to build to meet the global demand for supersonic travel. Just as we expect fares to come down over time as demand grows, future iterations of Overture will evolve to meet the needs of the market and our customers.”