Boom Supersonic XB-1 Becomes First Private Jet to Break Sound Barrier
Boom Supersonic XB-1 made aviation history on Tuesday, becoming the first privately funded aircraft to break the sound barrier. The test flight took place at 35,000 feet (10,670 meters) over the Mojave Desert, northwest of Los Angeles.
Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg expressed his excitement after the flight, saying, “She was real happy supersonic. That’s the best she’s ever flown, was supersonic.” The XB-1 reached Mach 1.1, or about 845 mph (1,360 kph), surpassing the speed of sound.
This achievement comes nearly eight decades after Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier in 1947 with the Bell X-1 over the same desert.
A Milestone Towards Commercial Supersonic Travel
The XB-1 serves as a testbed for Boom Supersonic’s ambitious plan to develop the Overture, a supersonic airliner designed to carry 64-80 passengers. The company envisions the aircraft reducing transatlantic flight times to just 3.5 hours.
Boom Supersonic has already secured 130 orders and pre-orders from major airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines.
Overture Production Gears Up in North Carolina
In preparation for Overture’s future, Boom completed its Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina, last year. The facility is expected to produce up to 66 Overture aircraft annually, marking a significant step towards reintroducing supersonic passenger travel.
With this successful test, Boom Supersonic moves closer to making commercial supersonic flights a reality, reigniting the industry’s pursuit of faster air travel.
With inputs from Reuters
