Overture Image: Boom Supersonic
aeronautics
Technology
/ USA
supersonic transport
Boom Supersonic introduces new design for Overture
By: Rafael Ramos
On: 8/3/2022
Overture new design
Image: Boom Supersonic
During the Farnborough Airshow 2022 the new design of the Overture – a supersonic passenger plane – was presented. The plane project has been around since 2016.
The Overture was designed to be a delta-winged jet – similar to the Concorde – but today, the design has gone through many modifications and the jet will feature four turbofan engines without the noisy afterburners that the company hopes that supersonic speeds can be reached and maintained without the need for it.
Overture with 4 turbofan engines
Image: Boom Supersonic
“The design that we've seen and loved is actually engineering and is over five years old. Since then, we've had over 26 million hours of simulation. We iterated over 50 design cycles for Overture and confirmed our designs with five wind tunnel tests. And it all adds up to an innovative new configuration from Overture to design for the plane we're all going to fly,” said CEO Blake Scholl.
The aircraft will use four engines for efficiency. It might seem counterintuitive – even more so in a world where four-engine jets are being sidelined – but a company spokesperson explained that using four engines instead of two or three can decrease the size needed for each engine, keeping the weight and temperature within tolerable limits, in addition to making the plane less noisy.
The company also says the four high-by-pass ratio turbofan engines under the wings will also make the aircraft easier to maintain. In addition, the adoption of the fourth engine makes the aircraft more easily fit into the existing supply chain.
One more design change is that the engines have been shifted backwards. The company also explains that this will provide more security to the passenger. That's because there is a zone around the aircraft's engine called the "rotor explosion zone", where shrapnel from the fan can hit the fuselage and end up injuring a passenger. Although rare, this has already happened – killing a passenger. With the engines behind the passenger cabin, this risk is minimized.
However, the Overture still doesn't have a defined engine manufacturer, which makes it just a well-designed glider. The company hopes to be able to make the first flight of the plane in 2026. Would this be a reasonable goal? Many challenges still need to be overcome.
Rafael Ramos
Aviation enthusiast from an early age, he had his first contacts with the area developing that good old habit of spending dozens of hours in front of the screens of Micrsoft Flight Simulator and other simulators. With a solid background in various technological areas, including engineering and chemistry, Rafael has rejoined aviation as editor and author of articles and materials on our portal, providing invaluable help to the dynamics and expansion of the website and the aeronautical community, bringing us the news and updates so indispensable for us to remain current in our area of operation.
   
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