Boom Supersonic has tested its XB-1 experimental aircraft, completing the first successful flight of the carbon fiber aircraft. Although it has yet to break the sound barrier, the prototype paves the way for a fuel-efficient supersonic passenger jet that Boom hopes to launch in the future.
With a conventional jet engine made of carbon fiber composite materials and an augmented reality display in the cockpit, the plane took off from the Mojave Air & Space Port in California on Friday.
The 19-meter prototype achieved its test goals, reaching an altitude of 2,170 meters and a speed of 439 km/h.
“I have waited over 20 years for an environmentally friendly successor to Concorde and the first flight of the XB-1 is a major milestone in the realization of my dreams,” said Mike Bannister, who was previously Concorde’s chief pilot for British Airways, in a Boom press release. “When I last flew Concorde in 2003, I knew this moment was coming. The first flight of the XB-1 is a significant achievement for sustained supersonic flight.”
Boom hopes to develop its Overture plane to fly using sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), made from recycled carbon dioxide, algae and others. Overture is currently just a concept; Boom says it expects to seat 64 to 80 passengers, flying at speeds of Mach 1.7. In 2021, United Airlines announced its intention to acquire 15 supersonic aircraft from Boom.
