GREENSBORO, N.C. — First in flight. Now, the future of flight. Boom Supersonic will create hundreds of new high-paying jobs as it launches the next generation of commercial high-speed airliners right here in North Carolina.
The company announced Wednesday it will build its first manufacturing plant at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro. Boom expects to break ground on the facility later in 2022 and production will begin in 2024.
“It is both poetic and logical that Boom Supersonic would choose the state that’s first in flight for its first manufacturing plant,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said. “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.”
Boom is bringing more than 1,700 jobs to Greensboro by 2030 and investing more than $500 million in our area. The company said it hopes to employ 2,400 workers by 2032. Officials said the jobs will pay an average of $69,000 a year - more than Guilford County's median wage.
The Colorado-based company plans to build and test its Overture supersonic airliner at PTI. The jet concept can carry 88 passengers and fly at twice the speed of normal passenger jets all on sustainable fuels.
The company said it will offer internships and apprenticeships to North Carolina students.
“With some of the country’s best and brightest aviation talent, key suppliers, and the state of North Carolina’s continued support, Boom is confident that Greensboro will emerge as the world’s supersonic manufacturing hub," Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic, said.
Cooper said Boom is expected to pump $32.3 billion into North Carolina's economy over the next 20 years.
The first Overture aircraft will be unveiled in 2025, fly in 2026, and carry its first passengers by 2029.
Cooper said Boom Supersonic's investment is just the beginning of the state's economic future.
"This really is a launching pad for the Piedmont Triad because we believe this is going to attract so many more businesses," Cooper said.
It's too soon to know if these jets will one day be used for passenger flights out of PTI but officials said it is possible. United is among the airlines already contracted with the company.
Economists say this project could be just the beginning for Greensboro, and that it could entice other companies to expand or build in the Triad.
How we got here
This economic project has been in the works since April 2021.
State lawmakers approved $100 million in incentives in December to bring an unnamed airplane manufacturer to North Carolina.
Soon after, Guilford County commissioners approved a $2 million economic incentive grant to PTI Airport for costs associated with the development.