American Airlines has signed an agreement with Boom Supersonic to purchase up to 20 Overture aircraft, with an option for an additional 40.

American has paid a non-refundable deposit on the initial 20 aircraft, which the company hopes will carry passengers at twice the speed of today’s fastest commercial aircraft.

Performance and safety requirements

Under the terms of the agreement, Boom must meet industry-standard operating, performance and safety requirements before delivery of any Overtures. However question marks remain over the project as Boom is yet to line up an engine manufacturer.

“Looking to the future, supersonic travel will be an important part of our ability to deliver for our customers,” said Derek Kerr, American’s chief financial officer. “We are excited about how Boom will shape the future of travel both for our company and our customers.”

Miami to London in under five hours

Overture is being designed to carry 65 to 80 passengers at Mach 1.7 over water with a range of 4,250 nautical miles. Flying from Miami to London in just under five hours and Los Angeles to Honolulu in three hours would be possible.

“We are proud to share our vision of a more connected and sustainable world with American Airlines,” said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom. “We believe Overture can help American deepen its competitive advantage on network, loyalty and overall airline preference through the paradigm-changing benefits of cutting travel times in half.”

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