The new license from the FAA will allow Boom Supersonic’s jet to fly at speeds of Mach 1 and higher.
Boom Supersonic company in Colorado is licensed by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly at speeds above Mach 1 (1,235 km/h) in test flights with the XB-1 supersonic jet. These flights are scheduled to take place this year over the Black Mountain Supersonic Corridor in Mojave, California, Space reported on April 18.
The triangular XB-1 aircraft took off for the first time on March 22, 2024 from the Mojave Spaceport. Currently, the vehicle can fly supersonic at Boom’s complex in California when fully ready. The next phase of flight testing will take place within the Black Mountain Supersonic Corridor as well as parts of the nearby High Altitude Supersonic Corridor, in airspace R-2515, an area known for its aviation activities. Military hypersonics and research.
During last month’s flight of the and track the XB-1 in the air for safety reasons. Now, they are eagerly awaiting a second flight to test the plane’s landing gear and other hardware.
“We plan to bring the aircraft to the angle of attack, and at the same time evaluate its ability to fly. This is also the first time the balance support system is used,” Brandenburg shared.
Boom plans to extend the XB-1’s range before flying at supersonic speeds to analyze performance and handling throughout the journey to Mach 1 and above. XB-1 will fly at speeds of Mach 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 (1,358, 1,482, 1,605 km/h respectively) in the first three flights, according to Brandenburg.