Boom Supersonic adds propulsion specialist Ric Parker to Board of Advisors
Above:
Professor Richard (Ric) Parker, former Rolls-Royce Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Chair of Singapore Aerospace Programme, will help Boom develop sustainable supersonic air travel.
Image courtesy PRNewsfoto / Boom Supersonic
Ric - former Rolls-Royce Chief Technology Officer and Chair of Singapore Aerospace Programme - will lend his deep technical, commercial and sustainability experience as Boom industrialises the propulsion system for the Overture supersonic airliner and help Boom shape the future of sustainable supersonic air travel.
Parker's appointment is the latest strategic milestone following a series of critical accomplishments at Boom this summer including unveiling the production Overture and launching relationships with several tier one suppliers, Northrop Grumman and American Airlines.
Whilst Rolls-Royce recently withdrew its contribution to the Boom Supersonic airliner project and other major jet engine manufacturers have stated they are not currently interested in powering supersonic aircraft, Boom are looking to announce an engine partner in the near future.
"As we prepare to announce our engine partner and transformational new economic model for Overture later this Fall, Ric will continue to bring relevant and valuable insight to Boom," said Blake Scholl, Boom Founder and CEO. "Ric's broad experience at Rolls-Royce and in Singapore will benefit us greatly as we bring Overture to market."
Currently, Parker is Chair of the Singapore Aerospace Programme, the country's flagship research project to strengthen its aerospace industry, and he additionally oversees Singapore's Low Carbon Energy Research Programme. Prior to his work in Singapore, Parker spent nearly 40 years at Rolls-Royce Group, most recently as the company's Chief Technology Officer for 15 years. In this role, Parker was responsible for the company's entire technology portfolio and future programs spanning the fields of aerospace and defence, marine and power generation.
During his time as Rolls-Royce CTO, he chaired the €4 billion Clean Sky Joint Undertaking, one of the largest research collaborations under the EU Horizon 2020 effort. Ric is currently President of the International Society of Air Breathing Engines (ISABE). He is a Distinguished Visitor at the UK National Physical Laboratory and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the Institute of Physics.
"Supersonic flight is the next frontier of air travel, and Boom is well positioned to tap this significant market opportunity," said Parker. "Boom has mobilised a strong technical team and the right industry partners to deliver an economically and environmentally sustainable supersonic aircraft in Overture and I am looking forward to making aviation history with this team."
Recently, American Airlines placed deposits on 20 Overture aircraft with options for an additional 40, representing the largest commercial commitment yet for the airliner. In July, Northrop Grumman and Boom also launched a teaming agreement to pursue special mission variants of Overture that can support government and military missions requiring rapid response capabilities. The collaboration between Northrop Grumman and Boom unlocks a significant additional market for Overture.
Also, at the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2022, Boom revealed the refined design of Overture, which is the result of 26 million core-hours of simulated software designs, five wind tunnel tests, and the careful evaluation of 51 design iterations. Boom announced three tier-one suppliers contributing to key systems on Overture including Collins Aerospace, Safran Landing Systems and Eaton.
