Known as “First in Flight” for the Wright Brothers 1903 first heavier-than-air powered liftoff along its Outer Banks, North Carolina is now positioned to also become the first state to launch supersonic air travel.
State leaders cut the ribbon on Boom Supersonic’s new Overture Superfactory — the first supersonic airliner factory in the United States — on Monday, marking the opening of an investment expected to bring 2,400 jobs to central North Carolina.
Located at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, Boom’s new facility has the capacity to produce 33 Overture supersonic aircraft per year, worth a total $6 billion, the company said. The factory could mean a $32 billion windfall for the state’s economy over the next two decades, Boom representatives said.
“Construction of the Overture Superfactory represents a major milestone toward ensuring the United States’ continued leadership in aerospace manufacturing,” said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. “Supersonic flight will transform air travel, and Overture provides a much-needed innovative alternative for airlines across the globe.”
Boom’s Overture supersonic aircraft will fly twice the speed of conventional airliners. (Photo via Boom)
Boom plans to build a second assembly line, bringing its production capacity to 66 supersonic airliners per year. The Overture Superfactory campus will also include a delivery center where airlines, including United, American, and Japan Airlines, will receive their supersonic aircraft.
On hand for the ribbon cutting were Gov. Roy Cooper, Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders and other state political and industry leaders.
“As the state that was first in flight, North Carolina is excited to see Boom’s progress toward delivering the world’s first sustainable supersonic airliner,” Cooper said. “Our state has the skilled workforce, infrastructure and perfect location to help Boom revolutionize air travel.”
Cooper announced Boom’s planned $500 million investment in Guilford County in January 2022, saying it was “both poetic and logical” that the company would choose North Carolina for its first manufacturing plant.
“Like the success of the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, this innovative company will succeed by transforming passenger air travel with speed and sustainable energy,” Cooper said at the time.
Overture will be net-zero carbon, capable of flying on 100% sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) at twice the speed of today’s fastest passenger jets. Overture has garnered commercial interest, with orders and options from United Airlines and Japan Airlines as well as contracts with the U.S. Air Force for government applications.
The state approved additional support to help with final site preparations at the Piedmont Triad International Airport. In its 2022 budget, the legislature set aside $106.7 million for the Department of Commerce for use on site and road improvements and the construction of one or more aircraft hangars.
Salaries for the new jobs will average $68,792, increasing the regional payroll by more than $120 million every year, according to Cooper’s 2022 announcement. The Guilford County average annual wage was then $53,994.
“The Piedmont Triad region is an economic powerhouse, helping solidify North Carolina’s place as the top state for business,” Berger said. “Boom’s Overture Superfactory, which will produce a paradigm-changing airliner, showcases the new and innovative projects that are bringing jobs and investment here.”
