This week marked a significant milestone in aviation history as Boom Supersonic's XB-1, an independently funded aircraft, successfully broke the sound barrier. During a test flight conducted on Tuesday, the aircraft reached a speed of Mach 1.05 at an altitude of approximately 35,000 feet. The location of this groundbreaking flight was the Mojave Desert airspace in California, the same area where Charles "Chuck" Yeager first surpassed the sound barrier in 1947.
The successful flight is a promising sign for the future of supersonic commercial travel. Such travel has been dormant since the Concorde was retired over two decades ago.
Boom Supersonic already has agreements with multiple airlines for their future commercial airliners. Several companies are innovating to produce more efficient supersonic jets with reduced emissions compared to the Concorde.
Blake Scholl, Boom’s CEO, stated that the flight proves passenger supersonic flight is achievable.
The XB-1 is constructed with lightweight carbon fiber and incorporates an augmented reality vision system to assist with landings, addressing challenges posed by its elongated nose.
Denver-based Boom plans to leverage the XB-1's technology to develop the Overture, a commercial airliner designed to carry up to 80 passengers at supersonic speeds. Production of these aircraft is slated for North Carolina.
The engine being developed for the Overture is projected to generate 35,000 pounds of thrust and is engineered to operate using sustainable aviation fuel.
Major airlines such as American Airlines and United Airlines have committed to purchasing aircraft from Boom Supersonic. The company announced last year that it holds orders and pre-orders for 130 aircraft.
To mitigate the impact of sonic booms, commercial supersonic flights may be restricted to over-ocean routes or require speed reductions over land.
NASA and Boeing are also exploring solutions. NASA is focused on creating aircraft that produce softer sonic booms, while Boeing is developing a commercial supersonic travel prototype.
Any revived supersonic service will likely confront the same challenges faced by the Concorde, including restrictions on overland routes due to disruptive sonic booms.
The Concorde, decommissioned in 2003, remains the only supersonic commercial airliner to have operated. Its inaugural flight took place in 1969.
It was a technological triumph, representing a collaboration between British and French aerospace firms.
The Concorde still holds the record for the fastest transatlantic passenger flight, completing the journey from London Heathrow to New York Kennedy in just 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds.
However, the Concorde faced economic difficulties and sonic boom-related restrictions, limiting its widespread adoption. Only 20 were manufactured, with 14 used for passenger transport.
A fatal accident in July 2000, when an Air France Concorde crashed shortly after takeoff in Paris, accelerated its demise. The crash claimed the lives of all 109 passengers and crew, as well as four people on the ground. The investigation revealed that debris on the runway caused a tire to fail, which then damaged a fuel tank, leading to the crash.