提到超音速客機，大家心中想到的應該都會是法國協和號 (Concorde) 。然而因為協和號營運成本過高、噪音等問題，加上 2000 年的一場嚴重空難，導致協和號客機最終於 2003 年全部退役。在那之後，市場上就再也沒有一款超音速客機服役了。延伸閱讀：《知識》協和號(Concorde)超音速客機介紹
從航空公司營運角度來看，協和號客機太過耗油，又只能搭載 92~120 人。相對而言，現今的廣體客機可載 200~800 人，窄體客機也能載 200 人。營運成本過高之下，航空公司只得採取高票價，這讓許多乘客打退堂鼓，造成協和號客機的載客率偏低，航空公司無利可圖。 延伸閱讀：《知識》客機的區分方式
商用客機未來的發展，目前仍是以環保、舒適為主要訴求。不過航空界，並未放棄超音速客機。延伸閱讀：《知識》電動飛機的發展概況與挑戰
Boom Overture 超音速客機
由美國新創航太公司 Boom 研發的 Overture 超音速客機，於 2017 年 6 月 20 日在巴黎航空展示實驗機 XB-1，實驗機為最終商用機三分之一大小。XB-1 實驗機於 2025 年 1 月 28 日第一架突破音障飛行，成為自協和號客機結束以來，第一架突破音障的載人商用飛機。
儘管 Boom 仍在研發階段，但 Boom 已成功說服多家航空公司預購。Boom 報告稱，已收到 130 架飛機的訂單，其中包括美國航空、日本航空和聯合航空等航空公司的訂單。
經過幾十年的發展，目前的機身材料與以前已完全不同。從當年的鋁，到現在的碳纖維，現代超音速飛機可以更輕、更耐熱。超音速飛行中，飛機外表會變得非常熱。鋁不能很好地處理，但是碳纖維可以。同時碳纖維的可塑性高，可以精確塑形。延伸閱讀：《知識》飛機的機體材質 - 「複合材料」成發展趨勢
Boom 使用 3D 列印技術生產部件，不僅省時間，還省成本。在開發協和號超音速客機的 60 年代，每一次調整都需要在風洞中進行物理測試，即使是最小的調整，也需要數百萬美元和幾個月時間。現在這些測試可以在高性能電腦中，以仿真形式完成，將極大降低研發成本，並且更高效。延伸閱讀：《知識》淺談3D列印應用於航太領域現況
Boom 計畫超音速客機在 2029 年進入市場服務，預計可容納 64 至 80 名乘客，並以 1.7 馬赫的巡航速度飛行長達 4,250 海里（7,867 公里）的距離。長遠目標則是希望在四個小時之內，將乘客送往世界任何一個目的地。
音爆，是指飛機速度突破音速時，產生的巨大響聲。Boom 不能完全解決音爆問題，因此 Boom 超音速客機只會在海上用超音速飛行，在陸地則將以次音速飛行，不會出現音爆。Boom宣稱比協和號客機安靜了 30 多倍，可說服 FAA 放寬超音速飛機的禁令。
另外，飛機在超音速飛行時，飛機上的乘客不會感覺到突破了音障，飛機表現會很平穩。而且由於聲音傳播速度比飛行速度慢，乘客也聽不到音爆聲。
Boom 超音速客機也會朝向 100% 可持續航空燃料 (SAF) 方向發展，促進二氧化碳淨零排放。延伸閱讀：《知識》什麼是永續航空燃油 (SAF) ？
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The Future of Supersonic Passenger Jets
When supersonic jets are mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the French Concorde. However, due to the Concorde's high operating costs, noise issues, and a serious plane crash in 2000, all Concorde aircraft were ultimately retired in 2003. Since then, there has not been a supersonic passenger jet in service.From the perspective of airline operations, the Concorde was too fuel-intensive and could only carry 92-120 passengers. In contrast, today's wide-body airliners can carry 200-800 people, and narrow-body airliners can also carry 200 people. With high operating costs, airlines had to adopt high ticket prices, which deterred many passengers, resulting in low passenger load factors for the Concorde and no profit for airlines.
The future development of commercial aircraft is still mainly focused on environmental protection and comfort. However, the aviation industry has not given up on supersonic passenger jets.
Boom Overture Supersonic Jet
Boom Overture Supersonic Jet
The Overture supersonic jet, developed by the American aerospace startup Boom, showcased its experimental aircraft XB-1 at the Paris Air Show on June 20, 2017. The XB-1 experimental aircraft is one-third the size of the final commercial aircraft. The XB-1 experimental aircraft made its first flight breaking the sound barrier on January 28, 2025, becoming the first manned commercial aircraft to break the sound barrier since the end of the Concorde.
Although Boom is still in the research and development stage, Boom has successfully persuaded many airlines to pre-order. Boom reports that it has received orders for 130 aircraft, including orders from airlines such as American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and United Airlines.
After decades of development, the current airframe materials are completely different from the past. From the aluminum of the past to today's carbon fiber, modern supersonic aircraft can be lighter and more heat-resistant. During supersonic flight, the surface of the aircraft becomes very hot. Aluminum cannot handle it well, but carbon fiber can. At the same time, carbon fiber has high plasticity and can be precisely shaped.
Boom uses 3D printing technology to produce parts, which not only saves time but also saves costs. In the 1960s when the Concorde supersonic jet was developed, every adjustment required physical testing in a wind tunnel. Even the smallest adjustment required millions of dollars and months of time. Now these tests can be done in high-performance computers in the form of simulation, which will greatly reduce research and development costs and be more efficient.
Boom plans to launch supersonic jets into the market in 2029, which is expected to accommodate 64 to 80 passengers and fly at a cruising speed of Mach 1.7 for a distance of up to 4,250 nautical miles (7,867 kilometers). The long-term goal is to send passengers to any destination in the world within four hours.
A sonic boom is a loud noise produced when an aircraft's speed exceeds the speed of sound. Boom cannot completely solve the problem of sonic booms, so Boom supersonic jets will only fly at supersonic speeds at sea, and will fly at subsonic speeds on land, and there will be no sonic booms. Boom claims to be more than 30 times quieter than the Concorde and can persuade the FAA to relax the ban on supersonic aircraft.
In addition, when the aircraft is flying at supersonic speeds, passengers on the aircraft will not feel that they have broken the sound barrier, and the aircraft will perform very smoothly. And because the speed of sound propagation is slower than the speed of flight, passengers will not hear the sonic boom.
Boom supersonic jets will also move towards 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to promote net-zero carbon dioxide emissions.
