American Airlines has made a non-refundable deposit on 20 supersonic passenger planes that are still in the design stage and have a few more years before they can take to the skies.
Due to the lack of an engine manufacturer for the aircrafts, which are being produced by Boom Supersonic, it is uncertain how long it will take for them to be completed, much alone ready to fly with commercial passengers on board.
Boom said that it anticipates the aircraft to be in use by 2029, making Boom the first private business to produce a supersonic aircraft.
Given that the jet American has decided to acquire only exists in computer-generated images and taking into account the drawn-out procedure for receiving regulatory authorization, experts say the delay may even be longer.
However, other rivals are also developing supersonic passenger planes. Both Spike Aerospace and the start-up Hermeus are working on super-fast business jets and a five-times-the-speed-of-sound aircraft, respectively.
The possibility of these planes flying by that time, according to Craig Jenks, president of airline/aircraft projects, was described as “possible” rather than “probable” by CBS MoneyWatch.
“There is nothing familiar about it at all. It seems sense to assume that it would be later [than 2029] if you take into account how long it takes to create aircraft that are far less unique.”
American’s deposit amount was not made public. The innovative aircraft, known as the Overture, has a list price of $200 million, but producers often offer airlines significant discounts.
With the help of the deal, American, the biggest airline in the United States, will be able to boast the largest fleet of supersonic aircraft. Boom Supersonic said in a statement on Tuesday that the agreement includes the option for the airline to buy a further 40 aircraft, each of which could accommodate 65 to 80 people.
Supersonic travel, in the opinion of American, will be important for airlines.
According to Derek Kerr, chief financial officer for American, “looking to the future, supersonic flight will be a key aspect of our capacity to deliver for our consumers.” “Both our business and our consumers are thrilled about how Boom will change the future of travel.”
United Airlines committed to buying 15 of the same aircraft last year.
The first time around, a lot of people were burnt.
The Concorde, a British-French jet that failed to take off due to sky-high costs and safety concerns, hasn’t made a supersonic passenger journey in over 20 years.
The possibility of bringing back supersonic travel is intriguing, but a lot of people were burnt in the past, particularly due to the high expense, according to Jenks.
Once you pass the sound barrier, it has this incredible cost-inefficiency that you have to make up for by charging suitably high prices.
Jenks pointed out that American’s investment demonstrates the company’s optimism about the recovery of corporate travel from pandemic lows.
He observed that it was intriguing that this order had been made at the same time as everyone was fretting about the resumption of business travel.
“The concept that people won’t travel for business in the same style or in the same volume is completely refuted by this. This remark implies that there will always be a need for high-end, quicker, and more effective business travel options.”
Typically too expensive for fliers.
In roughly three and a half hours, a ticket from New York to London will cost between $4,000 and $5,000, which is around 30% more than it does now for a business class ticket on the same trip.
According to travel researcher Henry Harteveldt, “in the 1960s, a number of airlines signed on to acquire these aircraft but never ended up operating them because of the expense.”
This time around, it’s anticipated that they will still be too expensive for the bulk of users.
“The majority of us who sit in the rear of the plane behind the curtain are not appropriate for the initial version of this aircraft. However, supersonic flying may be quite alluring to top executives and business travellers, for whom time equals money “added he.
It is anticipated that Overture would travel at a speed about twice as fast as the current fastest commercial aircraft.
Boom CEO Blake Scholl said in an interview that “tens of millions of passengers per year travel in business class on routes where Overture will deliver a huge speed-up.” He also thinks that selling tickets would enable airlines to make money.
If they get to board the aircraft, that is.
engine maker sought
As part of its quest for an engine manufacturer, Boom is in contact with Rolls Royce and others. Getting the planes to fly completely on sustainable aviation fuel, which is expensive and in limited supply, is another goal the corporation has that may not be as swift as the aircrafts themselves.
Given the many uncertainties surrounding the availability of an engine for this aircraft, Harteveldt commented, “I’m extremely astonished American chose to reveal this.”
A new engine must undergo extensive testing and development over several years to ensure its safety.
Also in their early stages are sustainable aviation fuels.
The conclusion “In the next years, this jet won’t be arriving at an airport. This won’t happen for a few years, and it might be pushed out much more “added he.
According to Boom, the Overture initiative will cost $6 billion to $8 billion.
Boom made adjustments to the plane’s design last month in order to make construction and maintenance easier and less costly.
The most noticeable modification was the shift from three engines, one of which was on the tail, to four identical engines below the delta-shaped wings.
The airline’s investment on aircraft that won’t be accessible for at least a few years raised concerns from the union that represents American’s pilots.
According to FlightAware, American has had trouble this summer, cancelling more than 9,300 flights since June 1 – more than twice as many as United, Delta, or Southwest.
The only thing management should be concerned about, according to union spokesperson Dennis Tajer, is investing in the current business. “These will simply be supersonic cancellations if there are no changes to the way management schedules this airline and its pilots.”