A PLANE hoping to fly faster than the speed of sound has hit a key milestone in its quest towards the return of supersonic passenger travel.
Dubbed the “Son of Concorde”, the aircraft is expected to eventually go from London to New York in just 3.5 hours while carrying 80 passengers onboard.
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Boom’s XB-1 supersonic aircraft has taken a step closer to achieving its ultimate goal of becoming a commercial plane after it underwent its second successful test flight this week.
On Monday, the plane flew over the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California with developers closely watching on.
The XB-1 flew for around 15 minutes and reached an altitude of 10,400ft.
It reached a top speed of 232 knots (277 mph).
It follows the first flight which took place in March 2024.
Aviation experts in California say the progression from the first test day are clear to see.
The landing gear was successfully retracted and extended for the first ever time.
Researchers also got to assess the handling capabilities as well as activating a state-of-the-art digital stability augmentation system.
Also known as a roll damper, it was a welcomed addition from the first flight where handling was a key concern.
Routine checks were also done with engineers checking on the plane’s ability to handle strong airflow across the wings and to help shape the aerodynamic features further.
The XB-1 plane is being used for the test flights before Boom unveils the actual aircraft set to be used in the future known as the Overture.
Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic said: “XB-1 had a fantastic second flight this morning.
“Initial results indicate we’ve successfully resolved the findings from Flight One and are excited to continue flight testing on the path to supersonic flight.
“I’m proud of the team. Today’s flight is another step toward the return of supersonic passenger travel.”
Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg was in the cockpit for the first time and is now set to keep his seat until he manages to achieve the very first supersonic flight.
Another 10 tests are planned before the team can reach past Mach 1 and achieve supersonic status.
These tests will help to prove the feasibility of fuel consumption, speeds and flight characteristics.
In-flight checks of all systems will also be carried out to ensure a safe margin to flutter/vibration boundaries.
Today’s flight is another step toward the return of supersonic passenger travel
Blake Scholl
When the Overture is finally ready to takeoff, Boom hope it will be able to carry 80 passengers at a time all while offering “business class” levels of comfort.
Boom says the plane will be capable of flying from New York to London in 3.5 hours and Tokyo to Seattle in just 4.5 hours.
Overture is expected to fly at Mach 1.7.
If all goes according to schedule the first flight is expected to be available in 2030.
It is tipped to rival Concorde, a legendary aircraft that was introduced 51 years ago and retired in 2003.
The historic aircraft had a maximum cruising speed of 2,179km per hour, or Mach 2.04 – twice the speed of sound.
Nasa has also been working on a supersonic jet, dubbed the X-59, which is said to have a reduced sonic profile.
Why did Concorde fail?
CONCORDE was the supersonic passenger jet considered the ultimate luxury in air travel.
Air France and British Airways announced they would be retiring their fleet of Concorde planes on April 10, 2003.
The plane had its first commercial flight on January 21, 1976, so was retired after 27 years of service and 50,000 flights.
Several reasons led to the decision to retire Concorde.
Air France and British Airways cited low passenger numbers and high maintenance costs.
By the early noughties, the planes were outdated and expensive to run, despite being incredibly advanced when they were first introduced almost three decades previously.
The 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001 majorly impacted passenger numbers, as people opted not to fly.
Passenger numbers also fell after an Air France Concorde crashed just minutes after taking off from Paris in July 2000.
The disaster killed all 109 people on board and four others on the ground.
The plane ran over a small piece of metal on the runway, which burst a tyre and caused an engine to ignite.
It was also the only aircraft in the British Airways fleet that required a flight engineer.
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