Boom Supersonic has announced that construction has begun of its Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina, the United States (US). The factory is scheduled to begin production of the Supersonic Transport (SST) aircraft in 2024.
The state-of-the-art, 62-acre campus is located at Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO). According to Boom, the ground-breaking is another step towards the company starting production of its SST jet by 2024. The factory will host a final assembly line, test facilities and customer delivery center for the Overture.
Overture is the company’s only planned commercial aircraft so far. Cruising at Mach 1.7 at an altitude of 60,000 feet, it will seat between 65 and 80 passengers, offering a range of up to 4250 nautical miles (4888 miles or 7867 kilometers).
“This milestone is a shared one and we are deeply appreciative of the input, leadership, and support of the Piedmont Triad Airport Authority, local community, and the state of North Carolina,” remarked Kathy Savitt, the President of Boom Supersonic. According to the manufacturer, the site will host more than 2,400 employees by 2032, and its presence in North Carolina will add at least $32.2 billion to the local economy over the next 20 years. Furthermore, over 200 internship positions will be created for North Carolina’s universities, community colleges and trade schools.
Roy Cooper, the Governor of North Carolina, added: “Our economy is taking flight with a talented workforce and strong infrastructure ready for these new, good-paying jobs in innovation and aerospace.”
Boom plans to install factory tooling at the site in 2024, in order to launch the production of the Overture the same year.
Continuing to build the Overture supply chain
The commencement of construction of the company’s GSO site is another step forwards for Boom. Recently it found an engine partner, as well as partners to develop training programs for flight and maintenance crews for the Overture.
After being shunned by Rolls-Royce and CFM International – a joint venture of GE Aviation and Safran Aircraft Engines – Boom partnered with Kratos Defence to build the Symphony, the engine of Overture.
Rolls-Royce and Safran Aircraft Engines (previously known as Snecma) jointly built the Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 engines used on the Concorde.
Kratos Defence, however, has focused on defense-related products throughout its history, including the development of the XQ-58 Valkyrie stealth drone.
The manufacturer of the Overture has also partnered with Flight Safety International (FSI), to train pilots, cabin crew and engineers for the supersonic jet. Drawing from the expertise of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Boom wants to develop a full curriculum, including flight simulators and training environments for the personnel who would operate the aircraft.