Boom Supersonics' XB-1 aircraft broke the sound barrier during three test runs, a step toward the possible return of supersonic commercial flights

The experimental XB-1 aircraft, made by US company Boom Supersonic, flew faster than the speed of sound on 28 January. The achievement is the first time any civil aircraft has gone supersonic over the continental US – and another step toward the possible return of supersonic commercial aviation, reported New Scientist.

This event marks the XB-1 as the first civil supersonic jet manufactured in the United States and the first independently developed supersonic jet globally, a feat previously accomplished only by government-led projects like the Concorde.

Pilot: The flight was piloted by Tristan "Geppetto" Brandenburg.
Altitude: The XB-1 reached an altitude of approximately 35,290 feet.
Speed: The aircraft accelerated to Mach 1.122, equivalent to around 750 mph (1,207 km/h) during its twelfth test flight, maintaining supersonic speeds for about four minutes.

This achievement is pivotal for Boom Supersonic, as it sets the stage for their upcoming commercial airliner, Overture, which is designed to carry up to 80 passengers at speeds of Mach 1.7. Overture has already received 130 orders and pre-orders from major airlines including American Airlines and United Airlines.

The only aircraft currently able to reach supersonic speeds are military fighter jets and bombers. Although the fabled commercial airliner Concorde made transatlantic flights for several decades starting in the 1970s, it retired in 2003 due to multiple challenges, including high fuel costs and a deadly accident in 2000 that killed all 109 people on board.

Boom's CEO Blake Scholl emphasized that this flight demonstrates that the technology for passenger supersonic travel is viable and ready for development. He noted that the success of the XB-1 will inform the design and engineering of Overture, aiming to make supersonic travel accessible to a broader audience.

The success of the XB-1 could herald a return for supersonic commercial flight. The test flights are meant to inform the design of a planned Overture airliner that Boom Supersonic says would cruise at Mach 1.7 and carry up to 80 passengers. The company plans to start producing these airliners this year and begin carrying passengers on them in 2029 – and airlines like United and American have already placed orders.

The successful supersonic flight of the XB-1 marks a historic moment in aviation, heralding a potential revival of commercial supersonic travel nearly two decades after the retirement of Concorde.

Agencies