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Boom's supersonic jet is facing a lack of interest from engine suppliers:
Boom recently lost its jet engine partner for the Overture supersonic jet, and other major engine manufacturers aren't interested in the project either, Insider has reported. After Boom signed an "engagement agreement" with Rolls-Royce for supersonic jet engines back in 2020, the latter announced last week that it had left the project. Now, other major jet engine manufacturers including Pratt & Whitney, GE Aviation, Honeywell and Safran Aircraft Engines have told FlightGlobal they're not currently interested in supersonic aircraft.
Boom said that the project is still on track, though, and that it will soon announce an engine partner. "We can reconfirm our intention to announce Boom's selected engine partner and transformational approach for reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable supersonic flight, later this year." Boom told Insider. The company has 20 airplanes on order from American Airlines and 15 from United. It plans to build build a factory in California and start flying passengers by 2029.
For its part, Rolls-Royce said that "after careful consideration... [we] have determined that the commercial aviation supersonic market is not currently a priority for us and, therefore, will not pursue further work on the program at this time."
Previously: Airlines are Trying to Resurrect the Concorde Era
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Tuesday September 20 2022, @09:09PM
I was thinking the same thing- there are already many jet engine companies making supersonic engines for military jets, and have been for what, 50 years or more?
Maybe those engines have military secrets in the design, and said companies can't sell supersonic engines to anyone else, and probably aren't even allowed to admit that's the situation.
You could argue there might be some room for non-military supersonic innovation (inventions, whatever) but fairly likely engine designers have developed the supersonic jet designs pretty thoroughly and there isn't much more they can do (without including military secrets).
But it makes me wonder: could someone resurrect the Concorde engine design? Or is that now part of military secrets (if I'm right about that aspect).