The prototype of the supersonic airliner Boom Supersonic XB-1 reached the supersonic boundary for the first time

On January 10, 2025, the prototype supersonic airliner Boom Supersonic XB-1 reached the supersonic speed limit for the first time, accelerating to Mach 0.95. Formally, it had not yet broken the sound barrier, but the dynamic load of the air on the aircraft body was equivalent to moving at a speed of Mach 1.1. After analyzing the data from this flight, a decision will be made whether to break the sound barrier or conduct another subsonic test.

Image Source: Boom Supersonic

Boom’s Supersonic XB-1 prototype is made at a 1:3 scale in relation to the future 64-seat Overture airliner. At the moment, he has made 11 test flights, each time rising higher and increasing speed. This is necessary to study the behavior of the aircraft’s airframe at various speeds in order to smoothly approach breaking the sound barrier and eventually reach a speed of Mach 1.7.

There is a test pilot at the controls of the aircraft, and it is unacceptable to risk his life, as well as the integrity of the prototype. It is possible that the data from the 11th flight will be enough for the next flight to become a key milestone in testing. The prototype began flights in the second decade of March 2024 and reached the supersonic limit in almost a year.

The famous Concordes stopped flying just over 21 years ago, and the Tu-144 back in 1978. Since then, civilian supersonic flights have ceased. Boom and other market players are trying to revive this area of ​​​​aviation to a new level, offering low noise levels when flying at supersonic speeds and reasonable ticket prices.