'Skills are changeable - passions are not': Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl
May 3, 2023
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Blake Scholl, CEO of Boom Supersonic, is a tech-savvy leader passionate about revolutionizing air travel. He discusses the challenges and innovations behind sustainable supersonic flight, emphasizing CO2-based synthetic fuels. Scholl reflects on key life decisions, highlighting the importance of adaptability in learning and pursuing one’s passions. He also stresses the need for a long-term vision in business, sharing personal anecdotes from his journey that underscore resilience and commitment to sustainability.
Blake Scholl emphasizes that while skills can be acquired and adapted, passion remains a consistent driving force in one's career.
Boom Supersonic is revolutionizing air travel with the Overture aircraft, aiming to provide fast, affordable, and sustainable supersonic flights for global connectivity.
Deep dives
The Vision for Supersonic Travel
Supersonic flight presents the possibility of significantly reducing travel time, exemplified by the potential to fly from Seattle to Tokyo in just four and a half hours. Blake Scholl discusses how his company, Boom Supersonic, aims to make this a reality with their Overture aircraft, which is designed to be not only faster but also economically and environmentally sustainable. Unlike the Concorde, which operated on a model that was financially inaccessible to most, Overture is engineered with contemporary technologies, including carbon fiber composites and digitally optimized design, making it three-quarters less costly to operate. The goal is to make supersonic travel affordable enough for more people to enjoy, enhancing global connectivity and accessibility.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel and Net Zero Goals
Boom Supersonic is committed to environmental sustainability, utilizing 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in their aircraft design, which allows for flights that are not only fast but also have a net-zero carbon footprint. This innovative approach ensures that the Overture is the first airliner designed specifically for SAF, with commitments from early customers like United Airlines to operate on a net-zero basis starting in 2029. Sustainable aviation fuel is produced synthetically and can significantly reduce the impact on traditional fuel sources that compete for valuable agricultural land. Scholl emphasizes the need for investment in SAF infrastructure to meet future demand and draw parallels with the rapid growth and acceptance of wind and solar energy.
Embracing Change and Lifelong Learning
Blake Scholl shares his unconventional path to becoming CEO of Boom Supersonic, emphasizing the importance of following one's passions as opposed to adhering strictly to a predefined career trajectory. After dropping out of high school, he took the initiative to learn key skills in software engineering and aviation on his own, demonstrating that knowledge and capabilities are adaptable. His experience at Amazon refined his understanding of long-term decision-making, a critical lesson he applies in leading Boom through challenges. Scholl encourages others to rely on their ability to learn and adapt, especially in moments of doubt, stressing that personal growth can emerge even from significant obstacles.
With a background in software engineering and ad tech, Blake Scholl has an unusual CV for an aviation CEO. However, his singular passion for aviation drove him to learn this sector and eventually found a sustainable aviation company with flights twice as fast as what's offered today. Founding Boom was one of several crossroads moments in Scholl's life that drove home to him that knowledge and skills are adaptable and changeable, and there to support our passions.
In this episode, recorded at the Annual Meeting in Davos, he explains the opportunity supersonic flight offers now, decades after the famed Concorde, for tackling emissions and connecting the world. He also shared key pivot points - from leaving high school early, to hitting a wall as Boom founder - where he relied not on what he knew but what he could learn and possibly teach himself. Such an approach is critical for any listener as the job market will be increasingly transformed by a demand for new skills.