Boom Supersonic has announced the successful first supersonic flight of its demonstrator aircraft, XB-1, marking the first civil supersonic jet made in America and the first independently developed jet to break the sound barrier. The milestone flight took place on January 28, 2025, at Mojave Air & Space Port in California.
Flown by Boom Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, XB-1 reached an altitude of 35,290 feet and accelerated to Mach 1.122 (652 KTAS or 750 mph), breaking the sound barrier and demonstrating critical technologies for Boom’s upcoming commercial airliner, Overture.
“XB-1’s supersonic flight demonstrates that the technology for passenger supersonic flight has arrived,” said Blake Scholl, Boom founder and CEO. “A small band of talented and dedicated engineers has accomplished what previously took governments and billions of dollars. Next, we are scaling up the technology on XB-1 for the Overture supersonic airliner. Our ultimate goal is to bring the benefits of supersonic flight to everyone.”
As the first supersonic jet built using airliner technologies, XB-1 incorporates many of the systems found on Overture, including carbon fiber composites, digital stability augmentation, and an augmented reality vision system for improved landing visibility. Following its first flight in March 2024, XB-1 underwent 11 human-piloted test flights under increasingly demanding conditions to evaluate system performance and aerodynamic properties. Throughout the campaign, the XB-1 team systematically expanded its flight envelope across subsonic, transonic, and supersonic speeds—while maintaining pilot safety as the top priority.
“Our discipline and methodical approach to this flight test program created the safety culture that made a safe and successful first supersonic flight possible,” said Brandenburg. “With the lessons learned from XB-1, we can continue to build the future of supersonic travel.”
The Boom XB-1 provides the foundation for Overture, validating key technologies while establishing a safety-first culture. Technologies proven through XB-1’s test program that will also apply to Overture include:
- Augmented reality vision system: This system provides runway visibility without the weight and complexity of a movable nose, like Concorde’s.
- Digitally-optimized aerodynamics: Engineers used CFD simulations to explore thousands of designs for XB-1. The result is an optimized configuration that combines safe and stable operation at takeoff and landing with efficiency at supersonic speeds. CFD is also used extensively in the Overture program.
- Carbon fiber composites: Both XB-1 and Overture are primarily constructed from carbon fiber composite materials, enabling a strong, lightweight, and aerodynamic structure.
- Supersonic intakes: XB-1’s engine intakes slow supersonic air to subsonic speeds, converting kinetic energy into pressure energy. This allows conventional jet engines to power XB-1 from takeoff through supersonic flight. Lessons learned from XB-1’s intakes are informing the design of Overture and its Symphony turbofan engine.
The XB-1 flight occurred in the same historic airspace where Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947. It marks the first human-piloted civil supersonic flight since Concorde’s retirement over 20 years ago, paving the way for the return of U.S.-made commercial supersonic flight aboard Overture.
Overture, Boom’s commercial airliner, is designed to carry 64–80 passengers at Mach 1.7—approximately twice the speed of today’s subsonic aircraft—on more than 600 global routes. It is powered by the Symphony engine and optimized to operate on up to 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Industry leaders have voiced strong support for Boom’s progress:
“I’ve been waiting over 20 years for the return of supersonic speeds, and XB-1’s historic flight is a major landmark,” said Mike Bannister, former Chief Concorde Pilot for British Airways.
“Congratulations to Boom Supersonic on the groundbreaking achievement,” added Jim Currier, President and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace Technologies. “For generations, Honeywell has supported aircraft programs that build a brighter future for aviation, and we’re proud that our Honeywell Anthem integrated flight deck will help do exactly that for Boom’s Overture aircraft.”
“Beginning in 1905, the National Aeronautic Association recognized aviation’s most historic events, including breaking the sound barrier in 1947 and the moon landing in 1969. XB-1 has continued to prove that Blake’s dream is in line with the achievements that have come before,” said Amy Marino Spowart, President and CEO of the National Aeronautic Association. “This flight is a testament to dreaming and doing, which is the heart of the legendary feats of aviation that have brought us to this day.”
Overture has an order book of 130 orders and pre-orders from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. In 2024, Boom completed construction of the Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina, which will scale to produce up to 66 aircraft per year. Optimized for speed, safety, and sustainability, Overture and Symphony are designed to run on up to 100% SAF.
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Source/Photo Credit: Boom Supersonic
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