Key Moments
How Blake Scholl Built The First Independent Supersonic Jet
Y CombinatorKey Moments
Boom Supersonic's XB-1 prototype is the first independently developed supersonic jet, proving that supersonic flight is economically viable and paving the way for passenger travel by 2029.
Key Insights
Boom's XB-1 is the first independently developed supersonic jet, aiming to prove the economic viability of supersonic passenger travel.
The Overture airliner is designed to carry ~65 passengers at Mach 1.7, utilizing 100% sustainable fuel and featuring technology to mitigate sonic booms over land.
Supersonic passenger flight is projected to launch by 2029, with initial tickets comparable to today's business class fares.
Blake Scholl transitioned from a software engineering background (Amazon, Groupon) to aerospace by pursuing his passion for flight and learning necessary technical skills.
Concorde's failure was attributed to economics, not technology, with ticket prices at $20,000 (adjusted) and operational costs leading to its discontinuation.
Boom's core design and performance model relies on four key inputs: aerodynamic efficiency (lift-to-drag ratio), propulsive efficiency, structural efficiency, and Mach number.
The dawn of the independently developed supersonic jet
The video showcases the Boom Supersonic XB-1, an independently developed supersonic jet that represents a significant step towards reviving supersonic passenger travel. Unlike previous government-backed projects, Boom's approach is to prove the concept with a smaller, prototype aircraft. This XB-1 is not intended for passenger service but serves as a crucial learning tool, designed to gather all necessary data and experience to safely build a full-scale supersonic airliner. The ultimate goal is to make the planet far more accessible through significantly faster air travel, a vision spearheaded by founder and CEO Blake Scholl.
Learning from the past: Concorde's economic limitations
Blake Scholl's pursuit of supersonic flight was inspired by a childhood encounter with the Concord in a museum. He notes that while supersonic flight existed for decades, technological progress reversed when Concorde was shuttered in 2003. Scholl clarifies that Concorde's downfall was not due to technological limitations but primarily economic factors. With tickets costing around $20,000 (adjusted for inflation) and the aircraft flying half-empty, its operational model was unsustainable. This understanding was critical for Scholl, as his initial question wasn't 'can we build it?' but 'why did it fail?' He dedicated himself to learning the necessary engineering and economic principles to build a more viable supersonic solution.
From software to supersonic: A career pivot driven by passion
Blake Scholl's background is rooted in the tech industry, having worked as a software engineer at Amazon and later co-founding a mobile app startup before selling it to Groupon. Despite achieving competence in software and e-commerce, he realized this path lacked personal fulfillment and purpose. This led him to set a lifetime goal of flying supersonic. He adopted a belief that while skills and knowledge are adaptable, passions are fundamental. When no one else seemed poised to revive supersonic travel, he decided to pursue it himself, viewing it as a personal imperative to avoid future regret. This passion fueled his willingness to learn complex subjects outside his initial expertise, including advanced calculus and physics, and to network extensively within the aerospace industry.
The spreadsheet model: Proving supersonic viability
Scholl developed a detailed spreadsheet model to assess the economic feasibility of supersonic flight. This model integrates global air travel data (routes, fares, potential speed-up) with technical airplane performance metrics such as lift-to-drag ratio, engine fuel economy, and structural efficiency. By inputting these four key factors—aerodynamic efficiency, propulsive efficiency, structural efficiency, and Mach number—he could predict overall aircraft performance. A professor at Stanford reviewed his assumptions and found them to be conservative, validating Scholl's belief that supersonic flight could be economically viable with improved efficiency compared to Concorde. This initial validation encouraged him to seek out engineers to pursue the ambitious goal.
Recruiting the best: Assembling a lean, high-caliber team
Building Boom Supersonic with a small team of around 50 people was a deliberate strategy to foster innovation and efficiency. Scholl focused on hiring individuals with a strong passion for the mission and a proven track record of significant achievements, often recruiting early-career talent from companies like SpaceX and Boeing. He employed a recursive networking strategy, asking initial contacts for their top recommended individuals in the industry, regardless of availability. This approach allowed him to identify and connect with some of the best minds globally. While acknowledging the necessity of experienced experts for guidance, he emphasized that the core team needed to be smart, ambitious, hardworking, and incredibly passionate, avoiding a workforce overly burdened by the 'it's impossible' mentality common in established aerospace firms.
Overture: The future supersonic airliner
The ultimate goal of Boom Supersonic is the Overture, a supersonic airliner designed to carry approximately 65 passengers at Mach 1.7, effectively traveling at twice the speed of current commercial jets. A significant technological advancement is the planned use of 100% sustainable aviation fuel, addressing environmental concerns. Furthermore, Boom has developed methods to mitigate sonic booms, making it possible for the Overture to fly over land without causing the disruptive sound that grounded Concorde's overland routes. The target launch for passenger service is 2029, with initial ticket prices projected to be comparable to current business class fares, making supersonic travel accessible to a broader audience than ever before.
Overcoming the 'bystander effect' in aerospace
Scholl identifies a key reason for the lack of innovation in supersonic travel as a 'bystander effect.' This phenomenon occurs when the obvious desirability of a solution (like faster travel) leads experts to assume it must be too difficult or impossible, leading them to overlook potential breakthroughs. Many qualitative arguments against supersonic flight, such as claims that people won't pay more for speed or that sonic booms are too loud, are often based on outdated assumptions or a failure to engage with quantitative analysis. Scholl's approach involved rigorously analyzing the economics and technology, demonstrating that with sufficient efficiency improvements, supersonic flight could indeed be feasible and economically attractive, challenging the prevailing consensus.
Advice for ambitious founders: Pursue what matters
Reflecting on his journey from software to aerospace, Scholl offers advice to aspiring founders, emphasizing the critical importance of founder motivation. He stresses that belief in the 'cause'—the importance and aspirational nature of the problem being solved—is what enables perseverance through immense challenges. While acknowledging that 'hard tech' startups have longer development timelines and higher costs, he argues that founders should embrace ambitious goals. If one is going to face the inherent difficulties and high-lows of starting any company, it is more fulfilling and potentially more rewarding to work on something truly significant. The key is to align personal passion with a grand vision, as this intrinsic drive is the most powerful engine for overcoming obstacles and achieving the extraordinary.
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Common Questions
Boom Supersonic aims to revive supersonic passenger travel with their aircraft, the Overture, making the planet dramatically more accessible by offering travel at twice the speed of current flights.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
A former supersonic passenger airliner developed by the French and British governments. Its operational difficulties and eventual shutdown are discussed as a key lesson for Boom Supersonic.
The first independently developed supersonic jet prototype by Boom Supersonic, built to learn lessons for future passenger aircraft.
Boom Supersonic's planned supersonic airliner designed to carry around 65 passengers at Mach 1.7 on sustainable fuel, with a goal of passenger service by 2029.
Mentioned as an analogy for how Boom Supersonic is developing its technology, starting with a smaller prototype (Falcon 1) before moving to a larger aircraft (Falcon 9).
Platform used by Blake Scholl to network and find initial contacts in the aerospace industry.
Blake Scholl's first career job after college as a software engineer.
Company where Blake Scholl worked as a product manager and later sold his first startup to.
Company founded by Blake Scholl aiming to revive supersonic passenger travel.
A mobile startup where Blake Scholl worked after Amazon.
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