Could We Really Fly From New York to Beijing in Just 6 Hours on a Supersonic Jet?

I still have vivid memories as a kid of seeing the legendary Concorde land at local airshows, marveling at its sharp silhouette as it touched down gracefully. Even stationary, it looked otherworldly, capable of inconceivable speeds. Of course, economic and environmental challenges would quickly ground the ambitious Concorde experiment only a few years later.

But fast forward to present day – new technological innovations have a bold young company called Boom Supersonic convinced it can bring back mainstream supersonic flight. And not just for small niche routes either. Boom intends to zip travelers between major global hubs like New York and Beijing at twice the speed of conventional jets, promising to slash standard 15 hour flights down to just 6 hours.

It’s an ambition as radical as the very shape of their flagship Overture aircraft itself. Let‘s explore whether Boom’s vision of mainstream, sustainable supersonic travel could become reality by the end of this decade.

Why It Matters – The Need for Speed

Before diving deeper into the how, let‘s first examine why dramatically faster flight times would matter in the first place. In a word, it’s all about value – specifically being able to access more of it.

Thanks to modern narrow body and widebodies aircraft, air travel has never been cheaper. Yet average speeds have also plateaued. Aside from tailwinds boosting Certain trips, flying between most major cities will take you similar times as decades past even with newer planes.

But think about how much those lost hours add up to over frequent long haul trips. The appeal becomes obvious – if you could reliably slash flight times in half while keeping costs reasonable, who wouldn’t choose that option?

Business travelers stand to benefit tremendously, turning formerly grueling two day treks into overnight hopes with daylight to spare at both ends. And the premium leisure market equally values time and unique experiences that supersonic flight could offer.

There also hasn’t been a generational leap forward in commercial aviation for ages akin to the shift from props to early jets. So in that sense, Boom’s ambitions capture the imaginations of both the public and industry alike.

The Plane Itself – Optimized for Efficiency & Speed

So how exactly does Boom Supersonic aim to pull off affordable-ish supersonic flight for the modern era? Advanced engineering and design, mostly thanks to tools and materials not available in the Concorde days.

Dubbed Overture, initial models will carry 65 to 80 passengers at cruising speeds of Mach 1.7 – over 1,800 km/h and nearly twice as fast as today’s jets. But unlike prior supersonic craft, Boom emphasizes optimizations for sustainability and passenger comfort as well.

Let‘s breakdown some of the key tech making these speed possible on Overture:

Swept Wings angled 35 degrees rearwards to increase high speed stability
Thinner Wings lessen drag and turbulence vs wider designs
Contoured Fuselage Shape reduces shockwave intensity for lower boom
Lightweight Materials like composites withstand heat/stress better
Specialized Engines tuned for efficiency & emissions at Mach 1.7+

Combined CFD models suggest this configuration cuts fuel needs 55% compared to older concepts. Development has also involved five wind tunnel trials and millions of simulation hours to refine.

So in terms of raw performance specs, Overture seems up to the task. But questions remain around real-world noise, emissions, scheduling logistics and of course ticketing costs.

The Passenger Experience

Assuming all goes to plan technically, what could crossing the Pacific in just 5 hours feel like?

According to Boom management, comfort is a major focal point in these lofty planes. Cabins are being crafted more spacious than typical biz class seating today with roomy legroom and recline.

Oversized windows will enhance cloud vistas, with cutting edge gyrostabilization countering turbulence. Custom entertainment suites provide immersion without isolation. State-of-the-art noise insulation retains a calmer cruise.

And the indulgence you’d expect of a top tier airline applies to dining and amenities as well. As one of the founders put it, they desire the whole experience to feel more like a luxury cruise among the clouds rather than crowded cattle-car in the sky.

When Could This Become Reality?

Skeptics might scoff that supersonic’s time has passed or dismiss such grandiose goals emerging entities. But Boom has quietly assembled an impressive coalition of support from key industry partners and regulators.

On the financing front they’ve secured over $240 million to date from tier one backers including Japan Airlines, American Airlines andUnited. These firms have begun placing substantial aircraft pre-orders for cargo and passenger variants.

FAA collaboration is already underway, spearheaded by veterans who certified the original Concorde. Considerable progress advancing policy talks has already occurred. Several countries are actively courting Boom too for the economic upside of hosting these new operations.

And while still years away from carrying commercial passengers at scale, Boom isn’t just selling blue sky dreams either.

2022-2025 sees rigorous testing underway on their XB-1 demonstrator. This scaled prototype will expand flight envelope knowledge and validate baseline capabilities.

2026 commences firm Overture orders & customization for clients, locking in commitments.

2027-2028 involves expanded test campaigns, putting lessons learned into finetuning the larger Overture.

By 2029, Boom hopes to secure full certification and launch initial flagships routes over oceans. doi8ng so would blaze a trail for follow-on expansion across other continents pending policy easing.

Making the Economics Work

Of course, the lingering issue remains whether business fundamentals work long-term for daily scheduled supersonic service. Can attractive fares prove sustainable?

To its credit, Boom has thought extensively about this question rather than dismissing it outright. They acknowledge tickets must reach affordability thresholds akin to today‘s business class for enough volume.

Hence efficiency has been emphases from the aircraft design itself to flight operations. Simultaneously, several structural advantages boost viability:

• Only ~100 aircraft needed for full network vs 2,000+ conventional planes
• Can tap into surging premium travel demand globally
• Leverage extensive existing airport infrastructure
• Shorter trips allow higher plane & crew utilization

When modeled across the pool of routes meeting range & demand profiles, Boom forecasts sustaining solid profitability in time while dropping prices continually as adoption accelerates.

But work remains on holding down program expenses, securing cost-effective FSAs, and building out the right operational facilities worldwide. It’s no simple task, but the progress is promising.

Future Impact Beyond Tourism

Thus far we’ve focused chiefly on civil aviation applications. But potentially faster and more efficient aircraft would clearly benefit military and space missions as well.

Accordingly, Boom is actively engaged with the U.S. Department of Defense around customized Overture variants for rapid troop transport or mid-air refueling. Several performance upgrades suiting defense uses are already planned for trial.

And there are blue sky options like executive conference suites, global rocket launch platforms or hypersonic models to push boundaries further. Aerion’s AS2 could eclipse even Overture on that front with projected Mach 4-5 velocities possible before 2040!

But Boom’s declared aim is Making large swaths of humanity radically more connected across continents. That ethos pays homage to the wonderous achievements of early jet aviation itself not so long ago.

Perhaps attitudes have matured enough too to balance innovation aspirations with ecological mindfulness? If Boom and allies can deliver on both fronts, they may change how we globally circulate once again for the better.

Journeys spanning thousands of miles in hours without stops remains an epic notion. Skepticism is fair given past letdowns, but maybe this cycle catches the mix right on tech feasibly plus ethical incentives? Either way, fasten your seat belts for the ride!