Prototype of 2,100km/h supersonic passenger plane test flies

The XB-1 prototype of the Overture supersonic airliner completed all testing goals, including reaching an altitude of 2,170m and a speed of 440km/h.

The XB-1 demonstration aircraft took off. (Video: Boom Supersonic)

Boom Supersonic , an aviation startup based in the US, develops the Overture supersonic aircraft with the ability to travel significantly faster than today's large passenger aircraft, and is optimized for use 100 % sustainable aviation fuel. Overture is expected to be able to carry 64 - 80 people at a speed of Mach 1.7 (about 2,100 km/h).

Boom Supersonic launched the XB-1 aircraft program to provide the foundation for the design and development of the Overture. On March 22, this startup announced that the XB-1 demonstration aircraft had successfully performed a test flight at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California. The XB-1 completed all testing objectives including reaching an altitude of 2,170 m and a maximum speed of 440km/h safely and smoothly.

The XB-1 is equipped with three General Electric J85 engines that can produce a maximum thrust of 54.7 kilonewtons (kN). The fuselage is 21.6 m long, made of carbon fiber and titanium composite materials. The aircraft was mainly developed at Centennial, Colorado, but then moved to the Mojave Air and Space Port in early 2023. Here, experts conducted thorough tests.

This aircraft's runway visibility is very good with two cameras mounted on the nose.

According to Boom Supersonic, XB-1 demonstrates advanced and critical technologies for supersonic flight. This aircraft's runway visibility is excellent with two cameras mounted on the nose, providing flight path and altitude information on the high-resolution pilot display. This technology helps improve aerodynamic efficiency without the need for a heavy and complicated nose lift.

Engineers have also researched thousands of possible designs for the XB-1 using fluid dynamics simulations. Therefore, the design was adapted to combine efficiency when flying at supersonic speeds with safety and stability when taking off and landing. The XB-1 is primarily made from carbon fiber composite materials, thus achieving an advanced aerodynamic design in a structure that is both strong and light.

As the XB-1 demonstrator completes its first flight, Overture also moves closer to the production stage. The project has received 130 orders and pre-orders from major airlines, including American Airlines, United Airlines and Japan Airlines.