January 6, 2026
Sonic booms vs airport gloom
Dude, where's my supersonic jet?
Fans hype Boom; skeptics clutch Switch and demand shorter lines
TLDR: Boom’s test jet went supersonic without the noisy boom, and a new order allows quiet overland flights. The crowd is split: some want faster trips, others say Wi‑Fi makes speed moot, fact‑checkers challenge fuel claims, and many insist airports—not planes—are the real problem.
The supersonic comeback got a jolt when Boom’s XB-1 test jet quietly broke the sound barrier, using “Mach cutoff” to bend the boom skyward so folks on the ground heard nothing. Then a June order—Executive Order 14304—greenlit overland supersonic if it stays quiet. Cue Supersonic 2.0 dreams and a fresh wave of comment chaos.
Some readers are all aboard, but the loudest chorus is the “who needs faster?” crowd. One top comment basically says, “We’ve got Wi‑Fi, laptop headsets, and a Nintendo Switch—speed is overrated.” Others clap back with a pay-to-go-fast vibe: if you want 2x speed, pay 2x, simple math. Meanwhile, the fact-check squad storms in, calling out the piece’s repeated claim that Concorde burned “52% of its fuel taxiing,” demanding sources and receipts. Aviation nerds add spice, reminding everyone the Soviet Tu‑144 beat Concorde to supersonic and Mach 2, because of course that matters.
The meme of the day? “We need supersonic airports, not planes.” People say the real bottleneck is TSA lines and boarding purgatory. It’s hype vs. homework vs. humor: Boom promises cheaper, quieter speed with its upcoming Overture and Symphony engine; commenters counter with Switch jokes, pricing reality checks, and a healthy dose of skeptical snark. Read it for the comments, stay for the drama.
Key Points
- •The article highlights three barriers to supersonic travel—noise, regulation, and cost—and claims each is being addressed by new efforts.
- •Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 is presented as the first privately developed jet to break the sound barrier, using “Mach cutoff” to avoid an audible ground-level boom.
- •A June 6 U.S. policy change (Executive Order 14304) is cited as allowing overland supersonic flight if no audible sonic boom reaches the ground.
- •Boom plans the Overture airliner and is developing its in-house Symphony engine to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs versus Concorde.
- •The piece profiles Boom CEO Blake Scholl and contrasts Concorde’s high costs and engine inefficiencies with Boom’s approach to propulsion and noise mitigation.