Key Moments
Blake Scholl: The Problem With Becoming an Expert
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Key Moments
A startup founder reveals how to revolutionize aviation by building a supersonic jet, even without prior aerospace experience, by strategically changing regulations and iterating rapidly through software. He emphasizes passion over expertise, and building things that matter to inspire the next generation.
Key Insights
Boom's XB-1, the first independently developed jet to break the sound barrier, demonstrated a principle called 'mock cutoff' which makes sonic booms inaudible on the ground by causing them to 'U-turn' in the sky.
Boom achieved supersonic flight legalization in the US within 115 days of breaking the sound barrier, demonstrating that regulations can be changed by building the product and communicating its viability.
The company reduced the cost and time of hardware development by making it "look more like software development," using a system called 'Makeboom' for digital simulation and 'Bladeunner' for real-time engine component design.
Boom vertically integrated its manufacturing and test assets, including building its own machine shop, allowing for a 24-hour turnaround from digital design to prototype part for engine components.
Boom is financing its development by adapting its supersonic engines for ground power generation, selling them as 'Superpower' turbines to generate revenue and test data.
The XB1 team consisted of only 50 people, demonstrating that complex aerospace projects can be accomplished by small, committed teams with a comparatively small budget by leveraging digital tools and efficient iteration.
The decline of innovation in air travel
The speaker, Blake Scholl, founder of Boom Supersonic, opens by highlighting a stark contrast in innovation: in 1969, humanity landed on the moon and flew the Concorde, symbolizing a faster, better future. However, half a century later, these capabilities are lost. He points to the Boeing 707 as a revolutionary jetliner that ushered in the jet age, while the much later Boeing 787, launched over 20 years ago, offers no speed advantage. This stagnation extends beyond aviation, with examples like the two-year build time for a single missile interceptor, indicating a broader societal slowdown in ambitious development. Scholl argues that flying, once an inspiring experience, has become a dread for many due to this lack of progress. He contrasts this with the transformative impact of earlier jetliners, which not only doubled travel speed but also reshaped industries and enabled new global connections, citing Hawaii becoming a tourist destination and the origins of Nike and global music tours as direct consequences of faster air travel.
Reimagining supersonic travel with a startup
Scholl recounts his personal mission to revive supersonic travel, starting with a Google News alert that revealed more progress in supersonic music than flying. He initially considered a private jet model but dismissed it due to regulatory bans on supersonic flight over land in the US, a hurdle the business jet industry was unwilling to tackle. He also discounted traditional aerospace giants like Boeing, noting their focus on incremental updates rather than innovation. This led him to believe a startup was the only viable path, despite skepticism from investors like Jeff Bezos. With a background in software engineering and only a pilot's license, Scholl embraced the challenge, defining a mission that inspired him to find his limits. Boom began with a humble cardboard and Office Depot seat mockup before even joining Y Combinator, demonstrating that even ambitious goals can start with minimal resources.
Achieving supersonic flight and solving the sonic boom
Boom's first prototype, the XB-1, nicknamed 'Baby Boom,' was built to learn the practicalities of supersonic passenger flight, marking the first independently developed supersonic jet outside of government or military projects. After over a decade of development, XB-1 successfully broke the sound barrier, a moment captured in a dramatic Mojave Desert flight. Crucially, during its six supersonic flights, the XB-1 demonstrated 'mock cutoff,' a principle that allows the sonic boom to make a 'U-turn' in the sky at sufficient altitude and speed, rendering it inaudible on the ground. This innovation effectively eliminated the primary obstacle to supersonic flight: the noise. The success led to rapid legislative action, with an executive order making supersonic flight legal in the US just 115 days later, followed by unanimous bipartisan support in Congress to make this legalization permanent.
Revolutionizing hardware development with software principles
Scholl explains that Boom's ability to achieve what once required billions of dollars and thousands of people with a small team and budget lies in transforming hardware development to mimic software's iterative nature. He describes how traditional aerospace engineering involves integrated systems where changes in one area cascade through others, leading to slow iteration cycles involving large teams and numerous spreadsheets. Boom addressed this by creating 'Makeboom,' a system that allows an entire aircraft to be defined in a configuration file, enabling rapid digital simulation of design trade-offs, performance, and market fit in minutes. Similarly, 'Bladeunner' allows for real-time iteration on engine blade designs. This focus on iterating in the 'world of bits' drastically reduces the cost and time associated with exploring design possibilities, enabling the selection of the optimal aircraft to build.
Vertical integration and manufacturing innovation
To accelerate iteration in the 'world of atoms,' Boom chose vertical integration, particularly by building its own machine shop. This allows for a 24-hour turnaround from digital design to a prototype engine part, a capability unheard of in major aerospace companies. Engineers work directly with manufacturing technicians, enabling rapid design-to-part cycles. Boom is also building its own test assets, like an engine stand, to avoid long wait times and scheduling conflicts with external facilities. The company is constructing a 'superfactory' to scale production of engines and aircraft, moving from an empty building in January to producing first engine parts just months later. This approach contrasts sharply with traditional aerospace, where reliance on outside suppliers can create bottlenecks and slow progress.
Financing innovation through diversified products
Financing a capital-intensive deep-tech project like a supersonic airliner is challenging due to unpredictable costs and timelines. Boom found a unique solution by leveraging its vertically integrated propulsion development. They adapted their supersonic engines for ground power generation, creating a product called 'Superpower.' This natural gas-powered turbine can be sold separately from the aircraft, generating crucial test data, reliability learnings, and, importantly, the capital needed to fund further development of the airliner. The first Superpower turbines are already under construction and expected to ship to customers within 12 months.
Inspiring the next generation and building in public
Boom actively shares its journey by 'building in public,' notably live-streaming the XB-1's supersonic flight using Starlink. This event, viewed by millions globally, inspired many, particularly children in classrooms who became engaged with aviation and science. Scholl believes this inspiration is vital for fostering the next generation of innovators. He advises founders to pick problems they are passionate about, even if the technology is not immediately obvious, emphasizing that 'why now' can be answered by 'because I started now.' He also advocates for learning from experienced individuals but not being overly constrained by their advice, encouraging builders to focus on creating real things.
Rethinking expertise and embracing passion
Scholl challenges the notion that one must be an expert to start a company, citing his own lack of aerospace credentials when founding Boom. He argues that passion and the drive to learn are more critical than pre-existing knowledge, as skills can be acquired. He advises against working on what you 'know' but rather what you 'love,' as passion is unchangeable, while knowledge is. He also dismisses the idea that hardware requires extensive experience, stating that young engineers with ambition and a hands-on approach can excel. The key, he suggests, is to seek advice from experienced individuals but ultimately trust one's own drive to build and learn.
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Common Questions
Supersonic flight was banned in the US, and since most business jet travel is overland within the US, there was no business case for manufacturers to develop supersonic jets without regulatory changes. Major airlines also stopped investing in new supersonic technology.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
Mentioned as an example of a company that takes over two years to build a new Patriot missile interceptor, highlighting a slowdown in production speed.
Mentioned as a potential manufacturer of private jets, but their business case for supersonic jets was hampered by US regulations banning supersonic flight.
Mentioned as a company that built the 707 and 787 airliners, with the speaker noting that the latest models don't appear significantly faster or more innovative than older ones, and also as a company with a potentially terrible culture.
Mentioned as a modern platform for music, contrasting with the global reach of music in the past enabled by slower air travel.
Mentioned as a platform for music, contrasting with the global reach of music in the past enabled by slower air travel.
The company where the speaker worked as a software engineer, and where Jeff Bezos wrote about big companies handling large projects. Also mentioned as a successful e-commerce winner due to custom software, and its long-term thinking.
A large aerospace company that does not have R&D shops like Boom's, used as a comparison point for Boom's innovative approach to manufacturing.
The last company founded by an entrepreneur to build a commercial airliner before Boom, dating back to 1921.
Mentioned for Bill Gates's ambitious vision to put a personal computer in every home and on every desk running Microsoft software.
The company that acquired the speaker's previous apps company.
The company's origin story is tied to Phil Knight's trip to Japan and importing running shoes, demonstrating how global connections and travel influence business.
The retailer where the seats for the cardboard mockup of the supersonic airliner were sourced.
Used for remedial physics and calculus study to understand aerospace engineering fundamentals.
Used as an example of a company that successfully engaged regulators by deploying first and legitimizing later, contrasting with Boom's approach in aviation.
A natural gas power turbine adapted from Boom's supersonic engine, designed for ground power generation to help finance development.
The accelerator program that Boom participated in, where they presented a cardboard mockup of their first airliner prototype.
The location where the XB1 successfully broke the sound barrier.
Visited by Phil Knight, where he was inspired by running shoes, leading to the founding of Nike.
Mentioned as an example of an ecosystem where ambitious people can be surrounded by others who inspire them.
The location of Boom's R&D shop and where the company relocated from San Francisco.
Used as an example of how increased air travel speed made it a mainstream tourist destination, illustrating the economic impact of faster travel.
Mentioned as a competitor in manufacturing, whose advantage lies in labor and established industries like tool and die, suggesting the US should focus on inventing the future instead of competing directly.
Mentioned as an example of an ecosystem where ambitious people can be surrounded by others who inspire them.
The speaker was invited to the West Wing approximately 24 hours after breaking the sound barrier with XB1.
The speaker moved from San Francisco to Denver to make building in the physical world more affordable, but acknowledges its ecosystem benefits.
Cited as an example of a product that now takes Lockheed over two years to build, illustrating a decline in manufacturing speed.
Used to film the first supersonic air-to-air live stream.
Programming a CNC machine is cited as an example of a manual task that remains difficult, even with advancements in AI.
The satellite internet constellation used for the first supersonic air-to-air live stream.
The type of aircraft the speaker was licensed to fly, indicating a basic level of aviation knowledge.
Boom's planned passenger airliner, which will scale up from the XB1 prototype.
Mentioned for his Stanford commencement address, emphasizing the importance of working on something you love to do great work.
Founder of Nike, whose company's origin is linked to a trip to Japan and the import of Japanese running shoes, showing how travel and global connection influenced business.
Referenced as pioneers of flight, whose legacy is experienced when taking to the skies.
Admired founder whose goal for Microsoft to put a personal computer in every home is cited as an example of ambitious vision.
Passed on Boom's seed round in 2015 and later wrote in an Amazon shareholder letter that certain things, like airliners, can only be done by big companies.
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