The ongoing coronavirus-induced downturn in the aviation industry has meant that some companies have had to halt their expansion. However, this has not been the case at Boom Supersonic. The Denver-based startup has kicked off 2021 by hiring two new senior leaders, as it looks to introduce its 'Overture' supersonic airliner by 2030.
Two key figures inbound
As announced earlier this week, Boom Supersonic has strengthened its leadership team with two new additions. Joe Massaquoi has been named the company's CFO, and it has appointed Kathy Savitt as its president and COO. Boom hopes to "accelerate its next phase of growth and progress" with these additions.
Both of the new additions have a lot to bring to the table for the company attempting to build the world's fastest airliner. Massaquoi has held several roles in the aerospace industry, having previously worked in corporate development at Boeing.
More recently, he was the CFO at Initium Aerospace, which develops Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) in conjunction with Boeing and Safran.
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Kathy Savitt already has a history with Boom, having previously served as an advisor to the company. She recently founded Perch Partners, and this consulting firm specializes in areas such as emerging technology and airlines.
This experience will surely render her a good fit for Boom. Another of Savitt's connections to the aviation industry is her time spent as an Alaska Airlines board member. In addition to Massaquoi and Savitt, Boom has also appointed three new members to its board of directors.
What is Boom Supersonic?
Boom is a Denver-based startup that was founded in 2014. Its goal is to introduce a flagship supersonic airliner, known as Overture, in 2030. The proposed 55-seat aircraft would have a similar delta-wing design to the legendary Concorde, but a slightly higher speed of Mach 2.2 (2717 km/h, or 1,467 knots).
Last year saw Boom reach several important milestones. In October, the company rolled out its 1:3 scale 'XB-1' demonstrator aircraft, which it hopes to fly this year. It also announced last year that it had secured a deal with Rolls-Royce to provide engines for the Overture. While it plans to launch the aircraft as a commercial airliner, it has also stated its intentions to develop a supersonic Air Force One.
A big year for supersonic air travel
2021 could mark a significant turning point for the future of supersonic air travel. Earlier this month, Simple Flying reported that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had facilitated the "safe development of civil supersonic aircraft."
This rule, issued in conjunction with the country's Department of Transportation, will allow companies like Boom and Aerion to take their development of proposed supersonic airliners to the next level.
With this in mind, Boom plans to spend this year "[building] on 2020’s momentum by flying the XB-1 supersonic demonstrator, and completing the conceptual design of its flagship supersonic airliner, Overture." Despite the precarious position that the airline industry currently finds itself in, 2021 certainly represents a year to look forward to in terms of its potential supersonic future.
What do you make of Boom's latest additions to its team? Are you excited by the prospect of its Overture supersonic airliner launching in 2030? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.