The U.S. Government Emphasizes Speed and Sustainability as Top Aeronautics Priorities
US – Two priorities, “Achieving Sustainable Aviation” and “Promoting Connectivity and Speed,” tightly align with Boom Supersonics’ key speed, safety, and sustainability principles. The report specifically highlights the emergence and importance of commercial supersonic flight to enhance connectivity, and the need for new aircraft and engine technologies that satisfy the strategic priorities, underscoring the urgency around innovation and technical advancements to maintain global leadership.
United Airlines agreed to purchase 15 Overture aircraft in June 2021 with an option for an additional 35 aircraft. Overture is optimized to run on 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
The choices and investments made today will determine our competitive position long into the future.
The report goes on to note that highlighting these priorities aims to empower aeronautics stakeholders across the U.S. Government and private sector to work collaboratively toward achieving these goals. Additionally, the United States will remain globally competitive in aeronautics innovations through ground-breaking research and development (R&D), the implementation of efficient, timely regulations, and close cooperation with domestic and international partners. It concludes that achieving the three top aeronautics strategic priorities will ensure that the United States remains the global leader in aeronautics in the 21st century and beyond.
Across all priorities, the U.S. Government’s efforts will be guided by: (1) Safety, (2) Environment, (3) Economic Competitiveness, (4) Innovation, (5) Security, (6) Workforce, and (7) Equity, which reflect enduring American values.
Passages from the report and strategic priorities can be found below.
Achieving Sustainable Aviation
Consistent with the U.S. 2021 Aviation Climate Action Plan, the U.S. Government will achieve its goal of net-zero emissions of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) for civil aviation by 2050. Using cost-effective, efficient approaches, it will employ simultaneous lines of effort to achieve a future in which GHG emissions will fall to net zero. These approaches include (1) new aircraft and engine technologies to improve significantly environmental performance; (2) operational improvements to reduce energy use and environmental impacts substantially; (3) widespread domestic production and adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF); and (4) exploration and implementation of new and advanced fuels.
The U.S. Government will accelerate the development, testing, and certification of SAF, focusing on “drop-in” jet fuels, which are fuels created from renewable resources that mimic the chemistry of petroleum jet fuel and can be used in today’s aircraft and engines. Consistent with the SAF Grand Challenge Roadmap 4, the United States will increase the production of SAF to at least 3 billion gallons per year by 2030, a necessary first step toward the SAF industry providing 35 billion gallons of SAF by 2050. The overall development of SAF will ensure that key sectors, including aviation, play significant roles in transitioning to a net-zero carbon future, ensuring environmental justice, job retention, and economic growth across the United States.
Promoting Connectivity and Speed
Air travel quickly moves people and cargo around the nation and the world and connects people at unprecedented speeds. It plays a critical, unique role in the nation’s transportation system. The U.S. Government will continue exploring new technologies that will enhance global connectivity at greater speed.
To remain a global leader in aeronautics, the U.S. Government will advance connectivity and speed while maintaining unprecedented air travel safety and ensuring the aviation sector’s environmental sustainability. Beyond improvements to operations for traditional subsonic aircraft, increasing airspeed provides another approach to enhancing connectivity. Supersonic flight is defined as speeds faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1). Supersonic flight has seen emerging commercial interest in cargo and passenger transportation.
Finally, the report emphasizes, “The ability to compete is critical to preserving the role of the United States as the world’s leading economy. Therefore, the U.S. Government will support efforts to create and sustain high-skill, high-paying jobs.”