After Boom, the company behind the development of the Overture supersonic airliner, announced in December 2023 that it had selected the Honeywell Anthem cockpit equipment platform, in July 2024 the final design was announced. The Honeywell Anthem flight deck will be tailored for Overture’s specific mission requirements, helping to enable exceptional situational awareness and enhanced safety. The advanced avionics interface provides continuity to Overture pilots from initial simulator-based flight training through to actual flights. Honeywell successfully completed the first flight of its Anthem integrated flight deck using its Pilatus PC-12 test aircraft in May 2023, paving the way for Federal Aviation Administration certification.
Overture’s flight deck builds upon years of learning in aviation safety and is the result of extensive feedback from airline, business, and military pilots. Incorporating the Honeywell Anthem avionics suite, Overture offers pilots unprecedented situational awareness and ease of control, providing passengers with the safest possible flight experience.
Boom’s flight deck offers pilots the benefits of advanced automation and envelope protection, together with a force-feedback system that allows pilots to feel how the airplane is flying. With key airplane features accessible through high-definition touch screens, Overture can benefit from ongoing over-the-air software upgrades. Overture flight deck capabilities include:
- Force-feedback sidesticks: For the first time on an airliner, force-feedback sidesticks allow pilots to control the plane while physically feeling both aircraft response and inputs made by the co-pilot or autopilot.
- Autoland and augmented reality: Building on the system flown on XB-1, Overture has an advanced augmented reality vision system for takeoff and landing, eliminating the need for the droop nose used on Concorde. Pilots can safely land using autoland or augmented reality views provided on a head-worn device and on the pilot’s primary flight display.
- Large 17-inch touchscreens: High-definition touchscreens eliminate the hundreds of breakers and buttons found in legacy cockpits. Every airplane function is accessible through software while physical controls—such as stick, throttle, and landing gear—are offered for safety-critical functions.
- Over-the-air upgrades: Overture will receive over-the-air software upgrades, meaning new features and improvements will arrive regularly. Airlines can control how upgrades are rolled out across fleets.
Boom recently completed a series of flight deck tests with commercial pilots from leading airlines, including Mike Bannister, former Chief Concorde Pilot for British Airways.
“I’ve long believed that Overture is the rightful successor to Concorde,” said Mike Bannister, former Chief Concorde Pilot for British Airways. “After experiencing Overture’s flight deck, which is incredibly well designed and delightful to fly, my excitement and enthusiasm for this aircraft has only intensified.”
