It is not a bloated Boeing thing. It is a FAA thing. https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/airworthiness_certification https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/ai

It is not a bloated Boeing thing. It is a FAA thing. https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/airworthiness_certification https://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/airworthiness_certific... "Amended type certificates typically take 3-5 years to complete. By comparison, the certification of a new aircraft type can take between 5 and 9 years." Boom doesn't get to ignore FAA certification, neither would the organization making brand new engines for them, which are not included in that 5-9 year number (although it could go in parallel). I'm not pulling this out of thin air, there is a huge amount of history of developing planes and engines that you can look at (I'm more familiar with the engines side). It is not cheap, fast, or easy... so yes, I guess I am saying it's complicated, haha. Separately, look at the market for rocket launches in the 2000's. There was no one innovating, people were using decades old tech and not pushing anything new because they didn't have too. There was a place for SpaceX to come in. If you asked me then though, yes, I think I would not have thought there chances were great, and for similar reasons, but I think I would have thought it was possible. The difference is there is no market here. You don't have governments and commercial entities lined up around the corner to get a seat to go from NYC to London a few hours quicker. You do have competitors that are the last survivors of 70 years of competition (on the engine side) that have not been resting on their laurels and are some of the most technically competent companies in the world in any field. Boom is not in the same position SpaceX was. Look at Boom's last 10 years and SpaceX's first 10 and give an honest assessment if you think they are comparable.