Boom’s XB-1 supersonic jet made its fifth test flight from the Mojave Spaceport on October 7 and set several new records along the way.
The XB-1 is a 1/3 scaled-down version that Boom Supersonic used as a platform to develop the Overture aircraft with the goal of reviving commercial supersonic passenger flight operations, according to New Atlas.
In March this year, the world’s first private supersonic jet, made by Boom Supersonic, took off for the first time with pilot Bill “Doc” Shoemaker. With the 5th test flight, test pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg took the XB-1 to 5,425 m at 791 km/h (Mach 0.69), in a 50-minute flight, marking the altitude largest and fastest vehicle ever flown.
Boom Supersonic also tested the oscillating excitation system (FES). FES transmits targeted vibrations into the aircraft’s frame to help engineers detect potential structural problems, especially when flying at high speeds. Thanks to this, structural problems do not arise mid-flight.
Boom Supersonic gradually increases the height and speed of the XB-1 instead of reaching the target the first time. The company plans to conduct five more flights before the vehicle is ready to break the sound barrier. The XB-1 is the test chassis for the Boom Overture, a supersonic commercial airliner that can accommodate 64 – 80 passengers at Mach 1.7 (2,200 km/h). Overture will have a range of 7,869 km.
Although Overture primarily operates at sea, the aircraft is designed to minimize sonic booms and meet the latest environmental standards. Boom’s self-designed jet turbine engine called Symphony can operate at both low and high speeds, running on 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
More than 20 years ago, Concorde flew for the last time. Concorde began supersonic flight in 1969 at a speed of Mach 2 (about 2,180 km/h). Although it can transport passengers from New York to London in less than 3 hours, the vehicle has two major problems. First, Concorde is very fuel efficient at 25,629 liters/hour at that speed. In addition, supersonic flight over residential areas is limited. As a result, Concorde, an icon in aviation history, ceased operations on October 24, 2003. Boom Supersonic seeks to revive supersonic flight with Overture.
Low speed means Overture can operate on land without emitting sonic booms and land on the same runway as a Boeing 737 or Airbus A380 commercial aircraft, without requiring a 3,048 m runway like Concorde. Boom Supersonic will begin production of the Overture in 2025, test flights in 2027 and commercialize in 2029 if all goes according to plan.