Boom Supersonic's XB-1 demonstrator aircraft broke the sound barrier during a test flight in the US, achieving a speed of Mach 1.122. According to Sky News, the flight took place at the Mojave Air & Space Port in California, marking the first human-piloted civil supersonic flight since the Concorde's retirement over 20 years ago.
The XB-1, piloted by chief test pilot Tristan "Geppetto" Brandenburg, reached an altitude of 34,000 feet before accelerating to supersonic speeds. "It has been a privilege and a highlight of my career to be a part of the team that achieved this milestone," Brandenburg said, as reported by CBS News. Demonstrating the aircraft's capabilities, he broke the sound barrier two more times before safely returning to the Mojave Air & Space Port.
The flight occurred in the same historic airspace near Edwards Air Force Base where legendary pilot Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947, according to Axios. This location, known as the Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor, holds historical importance in the aviation community.
Boom Supersonic, founded in 2014, aims to revive supersonic passenger travel, an era that ended with the Concorde's retirement in 2003. The XB-1 serves as a technology demonstrator for the company's planned commercial airliner, Overture. The Overture is designed to carry 64 to 80 passengers at speeds of Mach 1.7—approximately twice the speed of today's subsonic jets—potentially cutting existing travel times in half, as reported by the Financial Times.
"XB-1's supersonic flight demonstrates that the technology for passenger supersonic flight has arrived," said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. "Next, we are scaling up the technology on XB-1 for the Overture supersonic airliner. Our ultimate goal is to bring the benefits of supersonic flight to everyone," he said.
Overture has already secured orders and pre-orders for 130 aircraft from major airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. The company envisions Overture operating on more than 600 routes worldwide, potentially making supersonic travel more accessible.
The XB-1 is powered by three General Electric J85-15 turbojet engines and measures 62.6 feet in length, approximately one-third the size of the planned Overture airliner, according to the Los Angeles Times. Constructed almost entirely from carbon fiber composite materials, the aircraft is designed for strength and lightness, resulting in a sophisticated aerodynamic design. These materials create a "strong, lightweight structure," as noted by Boom Supersonic.
The test flight marked the first time a civil supersonic jet built in America, and the first independently developed supersonic jet in the world, broke the sound barrier, as reported by CBS News. Historically, supersonic aircraft have been developed by nation-states, militaries, and governments. "A small band of talented and dedicated engineers has accomplished what previously took governments and billions of dollars," Scholl stated.
Boom Supersonic's ambitions extend beyond the XB-1. The company plans for the Overture airliner to take its first flight by 2030, with hopes to begin carrying passengers as early as 2029, although delays may push this date back, according to The Verge. Scholl believes the market for Overture could be "easily over 1,000 aircraft," as reported by the Financial Times.
The successful test flight of the XB-1 could herald a return to supersonic commercial flight, a possibility that has not been realized since the Concorde ceased operations due to factors like low profitability, high fuel costs, noise restrictions, and a tragic crash in July 2000 that killed over 100 people. The Concorde, an icon of commercial supersonic aviation, was in service from 1976 to 2003 and reached speeds of more than Mach 2 (1,354 mph).
Despite the challenges and technical hurdles, Boom Supersonic remains optimistic about reviving supersonic travel. "The world needs supersonic flights. Passengers deserve it," Scholl said, as quoted by Observador. With the XB-1's recent achievements, the company is one step closer to making this vision a reality. "Historically, the human race has always wanted to go faster," noted Mike Bannister, former Chief Concorde Pilot, emphasizing the enduring allure of supersonic flight.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq