Aerospace company Boom Supersonic’s jet, XB-1, broke the sound barrier yesterday when it traveled 10% faster than the speed of sound in a test flight.
The feat made it the first civilian aircraft since 2003 to achieve supersonic speed. The Concorde jetliner’s 002 prototype was the first to introduce commercial supersonic travel in 1970. Its final flight was in November 2003.
Piloted by Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, the XB-1 was nearly 12 minutes into its test flight above the Mojave Desert in California when it reached Mach 1.122 (or the speed of 750 miles per hour).
The plane nicknamed “Baby Boom” has completed 12 successful test flights since March 2024.
Boom says the XB-1 is the “first supersonic jet made in America” and touts its ultimate goal of flying commercial passengers.
The company owns a “superfactory” in North Carolina and plans to build its supersonic commercial airliner, Overture, which could carry between 64 and 80 passengers. CEO Blake Scholl says the XB-1 jet will be the foundation for it.
Boom says it has 130 Overture orders and pre-orders from American Airlines, United Airlines and Japan Airlines and will eventually make 66 planes yearly.
While we all could benefit from faster flights, it is unclear when such supersonic planes will be available.