Originally published at: Trump Order Lifts Supersonic Ban - AVweb
FAA has 21 months to get final regulations written and published.
I guess now I can drag out my old plans to build a supersonic Cub.
What a surprise. I think this somehow wasn’t needed. Oh well, better install Greenieproof fencing. Who’d a thunk it.
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, Axios, and Business Insider, Boom Supersonic didn’t get that executive order from Trump just by pitching a fast airplane. They pulled together a serious crew.
United Airlines jumped in first with an order for 15 jets. Then American Airlines followed with deposits on 20 more. Japan Airlines had already backed them and reserved 20 of their own. That kind of interest from big carriers gave Boom real weight. Suddenly it wasn’t just a startup with a cool idea. It was something Washington had to notice.
Then the Air Force stepped in through programs like AFWERX and STRATFI. They saw potential for fast military transport and started writing checks. Northrop Grumman joined the picture too, working with Boom on a military version. That gave the whole project a national security angle, which carries a lot of pull.
Boom also lined up smart partners. Kratos Defense helped with the new engine design. GE Additive and Colibrium Additive brought the high end metal and production tools. StandardAero came in to handle maintenance. On the fuel side, Dimensional Energy signed on to supply clean synthetic fuel. That helped Boom check the sustainability box, which is key for getting past regulators and critics.
Then came the money from NEOM, the Saudi backed fund that’s been investing in big future tech. That helped push Boom’s funding over 700 million dollars. At the same time, local governments, especially in Greensboro, North Carolina, offered land and tax breaks to get the Overture factory built.
So when Trump signed the order to lift the ban on supersonic flight over land, it wasn’t just about speed or headlines. It was the result of a whole bunch of people and companies pushing in the same direction. Airlines, military programs, tech partners, fuel innovators, and state officials all lined up. The FAA got the message and was told to start writing the rules.
Boom’s not there yet. The jet still has to fly, pass tests, and prove itself. But with all that backing, they’ve got the best shot anyone’s had since Concorde. Maybe!
In 1971 I was living in Lancaster, Ca, working at Los Angeles Center in Palmdale. Signs were posted on Sierra Hwy (before the freeway) proclaiming Palmdale to soon be the SST capitol of the US. It showed the proposed population increase now and then in 10 years. Palmdale airport would become an SST base. Transportation routes via train and tunnels would be built to “down below”. The sign eventually faded and disappeared.