After a decade of development and anticipation, Boom Supersonic is poised to achieve a significant milestone in the revival of commercial supersonic flight. The company’s XB-1 demonstrator aircraft is scheduled to attempt its first supersonic flight on Tuesday, marking a crucial step toward the company’s ambitious goal of bringing supersonic passenger travel back to commercial aviation.
The 68-foot-long XB-1 demonstrator will conduct its historic flight in the skies above the Mojave Desert in California. The test flight, expected to last between 30 and 45 minutes, aims to push the aircraft beyond Mach 1 (770 mph) to reach a target speed of Mach 1.1 in specially designated supersonic corridors near Edwards Air Force Base.
The upcoming test follows a methodical flight testing program that began in March 2024. Over the past ten months, Boom has conducted 11 progressive test flights, gradually increasing the aircraft’s speed and recently achieving Mach 0.95 earlier this month.
The XB-1, nicknamed in honor of Chuck Yeager’s Bell X-1 aircraft, serves as a one-third scale demonstrator for Boom’s ultimate goal: the Overture commercial passenger jet. Interestingly, the Boom demonstrator will undergo the crucial supersonic test flight in the same airspace where Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947. This technological pathfinder will help the company validate its design approaches and technical solutions before scaling up to full-size commercial aircraft.
The Overture, Boom’s planned commercial airliner, represents an ambitious leap forward in passenger aviation. The full-scale aircraft is designed to carry approximately 65 passengers at a cruising speed of Mach 1.7 – twice as fast as today’s fastest commercial aircraft. The Overture has already attracted interest from major carriers, with United Airlines and American Airlines placing outline orders.
Boom’s manufacturing plans are equally ambitious. The company completed its North Carolina factory in June and aims to produce 33 aircraft annually on its first assembly line, with plans to double that capacity with a second line. However, significant challenges remain before the Overture can enter commercial service. The program requires billions in additional funding and, crucially, needs a suitable engine design that has yet to be produced.
The company faces not only technical and financial hurdles but also environmental concerns. As the aviation industry commits to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Boom’s founder Blake Scholl maintains that the Overture can operate using the same sustainable aviation fuels that airlines are planning to adopt for their conventional aircraft.
The upcoming supersonic test flight represents more than just a technical achievement – it’s a crucial step toward realizing Boom’s vision of making supersonic travel accessible to more passengers than ever before. The aviation industry will be watching closely as this new chapter in supersonic flight unfolds in the skies above the Mojave Desert.
