Boom Supersonic is expanding beyond passenger aircraft with a Colorado factory for manufacturing gas turbines for artificial-intelligence data centers, but the company faces uncertainty over both its energy and aviation businesses. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, whose airline was among Boom’s first customers, said he does not believe Boom will deliver its Overture supersonic airliner in 2029 as planned. Meanwhile, some early backers may question the company’s schedules or withdraw altogether.
United CEO doubts Boom’s 2029 target
Kirby discussed Boom’s timeline in an interview on the Office Hours: Business Edition podcast, which appeared on October 28, 2026. Speaking with host Monica Langley, he said, “‘29 is their official timeline. It’s not going to happen in 2029. It’s going to take a lot longer.”
Boom has said it plans to fly its XB-1 demonstrator in 2024 and 2025. The company has also discussed the Mach cutoff phenomenon, in which aircraft fly at supersonic speeds at high altitudes under specific atmospheric conditions. Those conditions can refract an aircraft’s shock waves upward and reduce their impact on the ground.
Regulatory support for supersonic flight
Boom’s effort to revive supersonic passenger travel has received support from the Trump administration through deregulation efforts. In June 2026, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed rules that would overturn a longstanding ban on commercial supersonic flights over U.S. airspace. The proposal followed a presidential order from President Donald Trump.
In a press release, Boom previously said it expected to certify Overture and carry its first paying customers by 2029. The company has conditional agreements with American Airlines, Japan Airlines and United Airlines that include unspecified non-refundable deposits. Those agreements would allow the airlines to purchase Overture aircraft once the plane becomes commercially available.
Source: arstechnica.com
