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Supersonic air travel could be making a comeback, thanks to the work of companies like Boom. We visited Boom’s hangar in Mojave, California, to learn what it takes to bring the dream of ultra-fast transcontinental air travel to life, more than 20 years after Boom retired. Concorde supersonic aircraft.
At the time of writing, Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 demonstration aircraft has made 11 test flights, achieving a top speed of Mach 0.95. Mach 1 is the speed of sound – about 767 miles per hour at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Boom founder and CEO Blake Scholl says it will reach supersonic speeds “somewhere around Flight 12.”
Boom Supersonic says its XB-1 demonstration aircraft is poised to break the sound barrier.
Behind the controls for these flights is chief test pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, who told me that from inside the plane, supersonic flight is “actually a kind of anti-climatic.” Aside from a slight change in the feel of the controls, the only way he could tell this was happening was to watch his speed indicator.
Brandenburg shows his view from the cockpit inside the XB-1 flight simulator.
The infamous sonic boom, after which the company and the XB-1 aircraft are named the “Baby Boom,” is primarily something people experience outside the plane. To minimize inconvenience to anyone living and working in a boom’s flight path, the company says it plans to fly its passenger planes at supersonic speeds over the ocean, and will fly just below the speed of sound when above land. However, this is still much faster than the airspeed of conventional aircraft, which ranges from 550 to 600 miles per hour.
Boom says it is also monitoring NASA’s development Low boom supersonic technology This may be incorporated into future aircraft designs.
Shortly after supersonics, Boom’s XB-1 demonstration aircraft will be retired and the focus will shift to building the expanded passenger aircraft’s nose.
The XB-1 flight test program paves the way for Boom’s Overture passenger jet, which will be able to operate on conventional aviation fuel as well as newer fuels. Sustainable aviation fuel.
The company aims to transport its first passengers within approximately five years. It has already completed construction of a “superfactory” that will produce 33 introduction aircraft per year to start, with plans to expand. United, American and Japan Airlines already have pre-orders.
Boom completed construction of the Overture Superfactory in North Carolina in June of last year.
While ticket prices will ultimately be set by different airlines, travelers can expect to pay a premium for the faster flight, especially “on the first day, when there are more passengers than planes,” Scholl says. “But our goal is to bring (prices) down over time.”
To see our full visit to the Boom Supersonic, as well as my attempt at flying the XB-1 flight simulator, watch the video in this article.
