'New Concorde' attempts to break sound barrier on first supersonic flight
Boom’s inaugural XB-1 supersonic test flight takes off later today
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Almost 22 years after Concorde made its final commercial flights, a prototype passenger jet is attempting to break the sound barrier – and its first supersonic test flight takes off today (28 January).
Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 aircraft plans to reach an altitude of 34,000 feet before attempting to accelerate to Mach 1.1 speed and break the sound barrier over a series of four-minute runs.
XB-1 first flew in March 2024 and has been “steadily increasing speeds” over 11 test flights but never beyond Mach 1 (770 mph) – the speed of sound.
The American-built civil supersonic jet is made from carbon fibre, and unlike Concorde’s droop nose, pilots will use an “augmented reality vision system” to see past its long nose for takeoff and landing.
At the controls for XB-1’s first supersonic test flight will be Boom’s chief test pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg.
He said: “I still get nervous before a flight in XB-1, but I think that’s healthy. If I weren’t nervous, it would indicate I wasn’t taking it seriously enough or was ignoring the risks.”
“I’m incredibly grateful for the abilities and opportunities God has given me, the people who have helped me along the way, and the belief that I’m not alone in the cockpit. I always say a prayer at the base of the ladder to remind myself of those things and to give credit where credit is due,” Brandenburg added.
The XB-1 supersonic flight will take off near Edwards Air Force Base in Mojave, California, and fly through the Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor and the Black Mountain Supersonic Corridor for up to 45 minutes.
Chuck Yeager, a United States Air Force officer, became the first person to exceed the speed of sound in the same airspace in 1947.
The XB-1 model is Boom’s supersonic demonstrator is one-third of the size of the line’s “Overture” aircraft – set to be the “world’s fastest” commercial airliner.
According to Boom, the carrier has received 130 pre-orders for the 65-seat aircraft from global airlines, including American Airlines, United and Japan Airlines.
The Colorado company says its plane will fly at Mach 1.7, and previously claimed it would fly from London to New York in 3.5 hours, the same as Concorde.
An Overture “Superfactory” in North Carolina was completed in June 2024 and plans to produce 33 of the supersonic aircraft annually.
Former chief Concorde pilot for British Airways, Mike Bannister, said: “I’ve been waiting over 20 years for the return of supersonic speeds, and XB-1’s historic flight is a major landmark towards my dreams being realized.
“When I last flew Concorde in 2003, I knew this day would come. Boom is well on its way towards making sustainable supersonic flight a reality, aboard Overture – my #1 choice as a successor to Concorde.”
The live stream of the test flight starts at 3.45pm GMT.
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