Boom Supersonic, the company building the world’s fastest airliner, announced milestones across its Overture airliner and Symphony engine programs at the Farnborough International Airshow. Boom is reinventing the cockpit with an all-new flight deck, designed around pilots with safety at the forefront. Boom is making rapid progress on its Symphony engine, with hardware testing underway and the first full-scale engine core to be operational in just 18 months. Additionally, Boom announced that Symphony will be assembled in San Antonio, Texas through an expanded agreement with StandardAero.
Today’s announcements come on the heels of accelerating momentum for Boom. In March, the company conducted the historic first flight of its XB-1 supersonic demonstrator and in June completed construction on the Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina.
“Passengers and airlines are hungry for supersonic flight,” said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. “Following XB-1’s successful test flight, we’re accelerating. Overture features an all-new flight deck, incorporating extensive pilot feedback, resulting in a flying experience that is both innovative and instantly familiar. Our Symphony engine has quickly progressed through design into hardware rig testing, and with a fully operational engine core on track for next year, our rapid development approach is pacing ahead of schedule.”
Boom continues to partner with airlines and best-in-class industry suppliers. Overture’s flight deck builds on the next-generation Honeywell Anthem avionics suite. An advanced head-worn vision system from Universal Avionics, who joins the Overture program today, is integrated into the flight deck. Boom worked with BAE Systems to integrate Active Control Sidesticks into the Overture flight deck simulator displayed at the Farnborough International Airshow.
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Boom reinvents the cockpit with an all-new flight deck
Overture’s flight deck builds upon years of learning in aviation safety and is the result of extensive feedback from airline, business, and military pilots. Incorporating the Honeywell Anthem avionics suite, Overture offers pilots unprecedented situational awareness and ease of control, providing passengers with the safest possible flight experience.
Boom’s flight deck offers pilots the benefits of advanced automation and envelope protection, together with a force-feedback system that allows pilots to feel how the airplane is flying. With key airplane features accessible through high-definition touch screens, Overture can benefit from ongoing over-the-air software upgrades. Overture flight deck capabilities include:
- Force-feedback sidesticks. For the first time on an airliner, force-feedback sidesticks allow pilots to control the plane while physically feeling both aircraft response and inputs made by the co-pilot or autopilot.
- Autoland and augmented reality. Building on the system flown on XB-1, Overture has an advanced augmented reality vision system for takeoff and landing, eliminating the need for the droop nose used on Concorde. Pilots can safely land using autoland or augmented reality views provided on a head-worn device and on the pilot’s primary flight display.
- Large 17-inch touchscreens. High-definition touchscreens eliminate the hundreds of breakers and buttons found in legacy cockpits. Every airplane function is accessible through software while physical controls—such as stick, throttle, and landing gear—are offered for safety-critical functions.
- Over-the-air upgrades. Overture will receive over-the-air software upgrades, meaning new features and improvements will arrive regularly. Airlines can control how upgrades are rolled out across fleets.
Boom recently completed a series of flight deck tests with commercial pilots from leading airlines, including Mike Bannister, former Chief Concorde Pilot for British Airways.
“I’ve long believed that Overture is the rightful successor to Concorde,” said Mike Bannister, former Chief Concorde Pilot for British Airways. “After experiencing Overture’s flight deck, which is incredibly well designed and delightful to fly, my excitement and enthusiasm for this aircraft has only intensified.”
SOURCE: PRNewswire