Concorde retired in 2003, and nothing has replaced it since. Boom Supersonic is trying to change that, and in this documentary I go inside the company to find out what it’s actually building, and whether it can work.

I interviewed Blake Scholl, Boom’s founder and CEO; Nick Sheryka, who runs the Symphony engine programme; and Mike Bannister, British Airways’ former chief Concorde pilot. Between them, they explain what most people get wrong about why supersonic travel disappeared, and what it would take to bring it back.

In this deep dive, I investigate why Concorde really retired, and why no engine maker has been willing to build a supersonic engine since. I follow Boom from its founding through the XB-1’s supersonic test flights, its split with Rolls-Royce, and its decision to build its own engine. I also look at an unexpected new market for that engine, which could change how the whole programme is funded.

Then I look at the Overture airliner itself: the business case, the cabin, the routes and the orders. I also cover what could still go wrong, from slipping timelines and funding to the fight over flying faster than sound over land. And I give my verdict on whether supersonic passenger travel is really coming back.

0:00 The boom supersonic vision

1:50 Why the Concorde failed

8:23 Founding and engine hurdles

13:08 The fallout with Rolls-Royce

17:10 Proving the concept with XB-1

21:22 Symphony and internal manufacturing

28:06 Superpower as a business model

37:04 The Overture airliner strategy

45:54 Challenges, outlook, and future