Summary

  • Boom Supersonic opens Overture Superfactory in NC, creating jobs & ushering in a new era of supersonic air travel.
  • North Carolina was chosen for Overture due to its historical significance, talent pool, & economic growth potential.
  • Overture Superfactory will produce 33 aircraft per year, valued at $6 billion, with the potential for more assembly lines.

Boom Supersonic, the company behind the next airliner to break the speed of sound, officially opened its Overture Superfactory in North Carolina today. The facility will create thousands of jobs in the local area and produce the first passenger supersonic aircraft since the Concorde.

The next Concorde

The Overture Superfactory is located at the Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO) in Greensboro, North Carolina. Boom’s supersonic airliner, Overture, will be capable of flying twice as fast as today’s commercial planes on up to 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The unveiling of the newly completed facility follows the inaugural flight of Boom’s XB-1, the supersonic demonstrator aircraft for Overture. The demonstrator was the first civilian aircraft to receive Special Flight Authorization to exceed Mach 1 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and is currently conducting test flights at subsonic speeds in preparation.

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The factory was built ahead of schedule and with no safety incidents. The 180,000-square-foot facility includes 10,000 cubic yards of concrete, 1,700 tons of structural steel, 120 miles of electrical wire, and four and a half acres of metal wall panels. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony today, Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic, noted how meaningful this location is from a historical standpoint and emphasized how important this event is for the future of supersonic air travel:

“We have found here what the Wright Brothers found. A passionate community as excited about the supersonic future of flight as we are at Boom and ready to join arms to create that future together.

“Indeed, what we’re building here in Greensboro has significance well outside of the triad. What we’re doing here will have impact nationally, no, even globally.”

Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic at the Overview Superfactory opening

Photo: Jonathan E. Hendry | Simple Flying

Work at the Greensboro facility will begin with an advanced test cell unit, which will be used to develop manufacturing processes, optimize the assembly line flow, and prepare staff for Overture production. The first Overture aircraft is expected by 2030.

A Boom for North Carolina

Known as the “Birthplace of Aviation,” the State of North Carolina is where the Wright Brothers chose to test out their first airplanes more than 120 years ago. In the year since, the state has grown to become a powerhouse of aviation, with carriers such as American Airlines establishing a hub in Charlotte and international airlines flocking to the state capital’s Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU).

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This first assembly line is expected to have a significant impact on the local economy. North Carolina economists estimate that the full Boom manufacturing program will grow the state’s economy by at least $32.3 billion over 20 years, with the Superfactory directly adding more than 2,400 jobs.

The Boom Supersonic Overture Superfactory in NC

Photo: Jonathan E. Hendry | Simple Flying

The facility will be able to produce 33 Overture aircraft per year, valued at more than $6 billion, with plans for a second (and potentially third) assembly line in development at the same site. The Overture Superfactory campus will also include a delivery center where airline customers, including United, American, and Japan Airlines, will take delivery of their supersonic aircraft.

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The location was chosen for many reasons, including the availability of ready space and the local talent pool. The state is known for its research institutions, including Duke University and the University of North Carolina system, which produce highly trained people passionate about innovation. Speaking to a crowd of well-wishers and journalists (including Simple Flying) at the event, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper highlighted the speed at which the facility had been completed:

“Two and a half years ago, we came here to this airport to announce this great project. 18 months ago, we broke ground on this project, and today, we cut the ribbon. I’d say that supersonic speed when you’re talking about economic development.

“It’s fitting that this company will bring supersonic travel to the masses and that it is building this facility at the speed of sound.”

The Boom Supersonic Overture opening with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper

Photo: Jonathan E. Hendry

Designed by BRPH and Built by BE&K Building Group, the Overture Superfactory will be LEED certified and is expected to be at least 40% more energy efficient than comparable manufacturing facilities.

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