Latest news with #BoomSupersonic
Bloomberg
20 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Scholl Says Use AI Automation Bring to Down Labor Cost
Boom Supersonic Founder & CEO Blake Scholl speaks at the Reagan National Economic Forum in California on labor costs and AI automation. He says that the US has a cost disadvantage in "everything that is attached to labor costs" and that we can't "subsidize and tariff" our way through that disadvantage. (Source: Bloomberg)
Scientific American
15-05-2025
- Business
- Scientific American
Lawmakers Push to Legalize Emissions-Heavy ‘Supersonic' Planes
A bill to repeal the ban on supersonic flights over the U.S. could increase the demand for the gas-guzzling jets from around a dozen to as many as 240 By & CLIMATEWIRE | Lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol are seeking to repeal a half-century-old regulation that prevents civilian aircraft from traveling faster than the speed of sound over the United States. The "Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act" could vastly increase the potential market — and emissions — of Boom Supersonic, a planemaking startup backed by United Airlines; Japan Airlines; and Sam Altman, the billionaire CEO of the artificial intelligence firm OpenAI. No commercial supersonic planes have been in operation since the Concorde ceased flights between New York and London in 2003. But aviation analysts estimate that the jets Boom is developing would consume at least two times more fuel per passenger than flying on commercial airplanes in operation now. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. The bill is from Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), whose state is home to Boom's manufacturing plant, and Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), the chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. It's co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah and Tim Sheehy of Montana as well as Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas. "Supersonic flight without an audible sonic boom should obviously be allowed," said Blake Scholl, Boom's founder and CEO, in statements released by the bill's lead sponsors. "I urge Congress to pass the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act supersonically, so we can all enjoy faster flights and maintain American leadership in aviation." The legislation would order the Federal Aviation Administration to scrap or update a 1973 regulation that prohibits non-military-related supersonic flight over the U.S. within a year of the bill's passage. It specifically calls for the agency to allow for civilian flights in the national airspace "at a Mach number greater than 1 so long as the aircraft is operated in such a manner that no sonic boom reaches the ground in the United States." The congressional push to undo the overland flight ban comes as NASA prepares to conduct its first test flights of a supersonic jet developed by Lockheed Martin to produce sonic "thumps," rather than booms, when traveling faster than the speed of sound. The United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization is also set to develop new noise standards that member states could adopt. In February, Boom completed a series of supersonic test flights in a prototype plane that it claimed did not produce sonic booms that were audible from the ground. The speed of sound, or Mach 1, varies based on atmospheric conditions but is generally around 767 mph at sea level. The following month, Scholl visited Washington to lobby Trump administration officials to repeal the supersonic flight ban, POLITICO Pro reported at the time. The International Council on Clean Transportation, an environmental research group, estimated in 2022 that dropping overland flight prohibitions for supersonic aircraft in the U.S. and other major markets could increase the demand for the gas-guzzling jets from around a dozen to as many as 240. The company has already reported inking deals with airlines to produce 130 planes. Boom is designing its engines to run on sustainable aviation fuel, which has a fraction of the carbon emissions of traditional jet fuel. But operating the supersonic jets with SAF would be uneconomic for most airlines given the higher cost of SAF and the greater fuel consumption required to break the sound barrier.
E&E News
15-05-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Lawmakers push to legalize emissions-heavy ‘supersonic' planes
Lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol are seeking to repeal a half-century-old regulation that prevents civilian aircraft from traveling faster than the speed of sound over the United States. The 'Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act' could vastly increase the potential market — and emissions — of Boom Supersonic, a planemaking startup backed by United Airlines; Japan Airlines; and Sam Altman, the billionaire CEO of the artificial intelligence firm OpenAI. No commercial supersonic planes have been in operation since the Concorde ceased flights between New York and London in 2003. But aviation analysts estimate that the jets Boom is developing would consume at least two times more fuel per passenger than flying on commercial airplanes in operation now. Advertisement The bill is from Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), whose state is home to Boom's manufacturing plant, and Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), the chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. It's co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah and Tim Sheehy of Montana as well as Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill to repeal ban of civil supersonic flight over land could open door for Boom Supersonic in Greensboro
WASHINGTON D.C. (WGHP) — Federal legislation filed by a North Carolina senator could open a critical door for a Greensboro factory aiming to achieve commercial supersonic flight. On Monday, Sen. Ted Budd (R-North Carolina) filed the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act, a bill that would repeal a ban on overland civil supersonic flight. The bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Montana). 'The race for supersonic dominance between the U.S. and China is already underway and the stakes couldn't be higher,' Budd said. 'To maintain our global leadership in aerospace innovation, we must modernize air travel by lifting the outdated ban on civil supersonic flight. The Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act paves the way to lift decades-old restrictions, allowing for faster air travel. This is a critical step to ensure America leads the next era of aviation.' PTI congratulates Boom Supersonic on successful supersonic flight Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) introduced a version of the bill in the House of Representatives, which was co-sponsored by Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas). The National Business Aviation Association supports both of these bills. Boom Supersonic, which intends to build engines for its commercial supersonic jets in Greensboro, has also voiced its support for this legislation, stating that it 'supports revising this regulation to allow supersonic flight that does not create audible sonic booms and to establish a certification pathway for future low-boom aircraft.' They have also expressed their commitment to building a supersonic aircraft in the United States, as they did with their demonstrator, the XB-1, which went supersonic without a 'boom' earlier this year. 'Supersonic flight without an audible sonic boom should obviously be allowed,' Blake Scholl, Founder of Boom Supersonic, said. 'The ban on supersonic has held back progress for more than half a century. I urge Congress to pass the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act supersonically so we can all enjoy faster flights and maintain American leadership in aviation.' Boom is investing about $500 million to build Overture, a commercial supersonic jet, in Greensboro and, in January 2023, on a 62-acre site where its so-called 'Superfactory' is . The company, which plans to employ more than 1,700, also has an . Boom plans to have its first passengers in the air by 2029 and will fly more than 600 'profitable routes' to destinations worldwide with a range of 4,250 nautical miles. Boom has taken on three partners to design and build which will power the Overture, and now has partnerships with companies to provide Another partner, Dimensional Energy, is to provide which is as being made from 'renewable biomass and waste resources,' which could be corn, algae or wood products. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
TechCrunch
14-05-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
A new bipartisan bill aims to lift the 52-year ban on supersonic flight
In Brief U.S. lawmakers introduced Wednesday the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act in a bid to revise the FAA's 52-year ban on supersonic flight over U.S. soil. The bipartisan legislation – introduced by Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), Aviation Subcommittee Chair Troy Nehls (R-TX), and Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS) – would allow supersonic travel, provided no audible sonic boom reaches the ground. Dubbed the 'Boom' bill, the move comes as Colorado-based Boom Supersonic makes progress in developing next-generation supersonic aircraft. Boom's XB-1 demonstrator aircraft made history in January when it became the first privately developed civil aircraft to break the sound barrier over the continental United States. North Carolina has an interest in the bill's passage. Boom completed a supersonic airline factory in Greensboro roughly a year ago, after receiving more than $100 million in state incentives in 2022. In exchange, Boom promised to create more than 1,700 jobs by 2030. Texas has an interest, too: Boom is making the engine that powers its Overture supersonic airline in San Antonio in partnership with the aerospace company StandardAero.
