Boom takes the wraps off its supersonic Symphony engine design

The world’s most ambitious supersonic startup, Boom, has recently taken the wraps off its supersonic engine design, the Symphony. The Symphony engine is at the core of the startup’s ambition to build a next-generation supersonic commercial passenger aircraft that can fly from London to New York in under three and a half hours.

The Symphony engine is designed to power the Boom Overture, a future commercial supersonic aircraft with a maximum speed of Mach 2.2. Boom claims that the Overture will be the world’s first commercially viable supersonic aircraft and could be available to customers as early as 2029. The Symhony engine has been designed to meet strict environmental and noise requirements, in addition to its primary job of powering the Overture.

The key feature of the Symphony engine is its improved efficiency compared to other engines in the market. Using its proprietary design, Boom claims the Symphony engine can reduce fuel burn by 20%, while reducting the aircraft’s Noise Signature Index (NSI) by a staggering 50%. This is critical for the Overture to be accepted for operations in densely populated areas, like Europe.

In addition to its increasing efficiency, the Symphony engine’s design also reduces its maintenance requirements, allowing for cheaper airline operation. Furthermore, the engine is designed to be lighter in weight and smaller in size than other supersonic engines, allowing the Overture to achieve high speeds without compromising the structures carrying the engine’s weight.

Boom is now starting the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification process for the Symphony engine, with the hope that it will be cleared for operation by 2025. This will be followed by a rigorous flight testing program before ultimately reaching commercial operations in 2029. If successful, the Symphony engine will propel the Overture an a new era of supersonic aviation, making it possible to travel from one point on the globe to another in the blink of an eye.