FIA: Boom unveils Overture flight deck
Boom Supersonic’s all-new flight deck was the pick among a number of milestones across the supersonic aircraft developer’s Overture airliner and Symphony engine programmes.
Announced today at the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA), Boom’s CEO Blake Scholl said the flight deck has been designed around pilots following extensive industry feedback. The company has also began hardware testing of its Symphony engine with the first full-scale engine core to be operational in 18 months, said Scholl. Boom also announced that Symphony will be assembled in San Antonio, Texas through an expanded agreement with StandardAero.
“Following XB-1’s successful test flight, we’re accelerating,” said Scholl at the press conference. “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.”
The flight deck builds on the Honeywell’s Anthem avionics suite, the team at Boom have then integrated and augmented reality head-worn vision system from Universal Avionics. Advanced automation and flight envelope protection can take away the feeling for pilots, said Scholl. “That’s why we have integrated a force-feedback system that allows pilots to feel how the airplane is flying.”
Overture flight deck capabilities include:
- Force-feedback sidesticks. For the first time on an airliner, force-feedback sidesticks allow pilots to control the aircraft 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 Bannister. “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.”
Engine update
Boom revealed in June that it is building and rig-testing Symphony hardware, starting with a full-scale aerodynamics test of its combustor. Also, the first 3D-printed parts have been produced for Symphony, including fuel nozzles and turbine centre frames.
Tests begin 18 months after the initial announcement of Symphony. The company will conduct more than 30 engine hardware rig tests, allowing for validation of all key engine components, ranging from fan and nozzle acoustics to combustor fuel efficiency.
Boom also announced that it has accelerated development of a full-scale engine core, which will be operational in late 2025. Engine core testing will assess performance of the compressor,