Boom Supersonic Begins Overture FAA Certification Process

Boom Supersonic has received its FAA G-1 stage 1 issue paper from the FAA, marking a key step in the multi-stage process toward clearing the Mach 1.7 Overture airliner for commercial service by the end of the decade.

The G-1 certification basis spells out the specific airworthiness standards and environmental standards—including special conditions—required for FAA Type Certification. 

Under the second stage of the G-1 process now underway the FAA will lay out its view on what the certification basis—including special conditions—should be for the Overture.

In the third stage of the G-1 process, Boom will coordinate with the FAA on what it intends to do to meet the requirements. This could result in an updated issue paper from the FAA if required, or—if agreement is reached—will lead to a fourth stage to conclude the G-1. 

While the requirements are established, Boom will work in parallel on finalizing its G-2 issue paper with the FAA, which will set forth the means of compliance to meet the requirements laid out in the G-1 issue paper. In a statement to Aviation Week, Boom says: “We can confirm that the FAA G-1 issue paper: Certification Basis has been provided to Boom for Overture, and we’re now in stage 2 of the process.”

According to the FAA, the G-2 is designed to “capture the ‘compliance checklist’ which shows the regulatory requirement and the method of compliance proposed by the applicant for each regulation identified in the certification basis.” 

Further steps in the process include the G-3 issue paper covering environmental regulations for noise and emissions, and the G-4 which cites the FAA’s findings for compliance on behalf of overseas regulators for aircraft destined for export.

Commenting on certification, means of compliance and likely special conditions, Blake Scholl, Boom founder and CEO, says, “We know where the attention is going to be—it's areas like higher altitude operation which is going to put a lot of energy around things like cabin depressurization and rotor burst.”

“We are planning for all of that in the design of the aircraft,” Scholl says, referencing features such as the intentional positioning of the engine turbomachinery aft of the cabin rear pressure bulkhead. "This is how we build in safety. This is how we build in certification from the start. This concept has been studied very carefully from a certification perspective,” he says.