Boom Technology Inc., the start-up business proposing to build supersonic aircraft to carry up to 88 passengers, has agreed with a team of developers and suppliers on a propulsion system concept for its Overture commercial airliner. The team includes Florida Turbine Technologies for engine design, GE Additive for additive technology design consulting, and StandardAero for engine maintenance.
The Symphony engine that the team will develop “will be a bespoke design leveraging proven technologies and materials to achieve optimal supersonic performance and efficiency,” according to Boom’s announcement.
It said the system will be a medium-bypass turbofan engine with an engine architecture that is consistent with the standard for all modern commercial aircraft. However, the new propulsion system will include an axisymmetric supersonic intake (designed by Boom), a variable-geometry low-noise exhaust nozzle, and a passively cooled high-pressure turbine.
“Overture’s new propulsion system will operate at net zero carbon and meet Chapter 14 noise levels. When compared to derivative approaches, Symphony is expected to deliver a 25% increase in time on wing and significantly lower engine maintenance costs, reducing overall airplane operating costs for airline customers by 10%,” Boom added.
Denver-based Boom (which also goes by the trade name Boom Supersonic) was founded in 2014 to introduce supersonic business or private aircraft. It has orders to deliver 130 of its planned Overture supersonic commercial jets, including orders from American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and United Airlines.
Over recent months, the company has drawn scrutiny because of its inability to land a propulsion system supplier among the major developers/manufacturers of that specialty technology.
The supersonic engine designer, Florida Turbine Technologies, is a business unit of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, with supersonic engine design expertise, including some engineers with design experience with the supersonic engines powering F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft.
GE Additive will provide expertise in the design of additively manufactured engine components, working to streamline development, reduce weight, and improve fuel efficiency for the Symphony engines.
StandardAero is an independent maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider to the aerospace sector, and will provide insight to ensure that Symphony is designed for maintainability.
