Boom Supersonic’s experimental XB-1 aircraft broke the sound barrier on January 28th during three test flights. This marks a significant step towards the potential return of supersonic commercial flights. The aircraft, built by the US company Boom Supersonic, flew faster than the speed of sound. This achievement is the first time any civil aircraft has gone supersonic over the continental US. Greg Krauland, former chief engineer for Boom Supersonic, emphasized the technologies enabling the development of a supersonic airliner for mass use.
At the Mojave Air & Space Port in California, Boom Supersonic’s chief test pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg took the XB-1 on its twelfth successful test flight, its first supersonic one. The sleek white prototype, with a blue-and-yellow tail assembly, broke the sound barrier on the first pass in the test airspace, reaching a speed of approximately Mach 1.11. Brandenburg then performed two more supersonic runs before landing.
Currently, only military fighter jets and bombers can reach supersonic speeds. While the Concorde commercial airliner made transatlantic flights for several decades starting in the 1970s, it was retired in 2003 due to various challenges, including high fuel costs and a fatal accident in 2000 that killed all 109 people on board.
The XB-1’s success could signal a return for supersonic commercial flight. These test flights are designed to inform the design of the planned Overture airliner, which Boom Supersonic says will cruise at Mach 1.7 and carry up to 80 passengers. The company plans to begin production this year and start passenger flights in 2029. Airlines like United and American have already placed orders.
Other supersonic aircraft are also under development, including projects from Dawn Aerospace and NASA. Following the XB-1’s milestone flight, Brandenburg hinted at a future collaboration with NASA, potentially involving a joint flight with the XB-1 and NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft. The X-59 is designed to minimize the sonic boom, creating a sonic “thump” rather than a disruptive boom. Brandenburg expressed excitement about their ongoing work with NASA.