United CEO says Boom’s supersonic airliner will miss its 2029 target
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United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told the Office Hours: Business Edition podcast that 2029 is Boom’s official timeline for its first Overture, but it “is not going to happen” that year and will take longer. He said the company still faces many hurdles to develop the aircraft and obtain certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); in March, he had put the odds of commercial service at 50-50.
Boom, which completed its Overture factory in North Carolina in 2024, unveiled a Colorado facility to produce gas turbines for AI data centers. Its Sprint Core turbine core is intended to power both those turbines and the supersonic airliner. Ars Technica reports that the aircraft factory has remained mostly dormant after receiving more than $50 million in state taxpayer funding.
Why it matters · editorial interpretation
Scott Kirby’s assessment suggests that the Overture’s entry into service could slip beyond Boom’s official 2029 timeline, while FAA certification remains an obstacle. Boom’s diversification into turbines intended for AI data centers also indicates a parallel business effort as the aircraft project moves forward.