“Son of Concorde”: Super-speed jet sets new record, gunning for 3.5 hours NY-London flights

Boom Technology's XB-1 supersonic aircraft reached a new top speed in its latest test flight, edging closer to breaking the sound barrier. In a significant milestone, the XB-1 surpassed Mach 0.81, up from Mach 0.67 on its previous flight. During the test at 23,015 feet above Mojave, California, the aircraft reached 499 knots true airspeed, marking its seventh test flight since March.

The XB-1, nicknamed the "Son of Concorde," is a single-seat demonstrator plane manufactured by Boom Technology. The recent flight, piloted by Tristan "Geppetto" Brandenburg, lasted around 55 minutes. A key objective of the flight was testing the system for assessing flutter, focusing on "flutter envelope expansion" and "cockpit pressure testing" to ensure safe performance as the aircraft is pushed to quicker speeds and higher altitudes.

"XB-1 continues to perform at progressively faster speeds and higher altitudes, expanding the flight envelope gradually to prepare the aircraft and team for breaking the sound barrier at Mach 1," read an update from Boom Technology.

The XB-1 is aiming to revolutionize air travel by enabling passengers to fly from London to New York in just three and a half hours, potentially slashing flight times in half. Currently, such transatlantic flights take about eight hours. The aircraft's progress is seen as a potential game changer in aviation, bringing the dream of a supersonic future closer to reality.

With three subsonic test flights remaining, Boom Technology plans to push the XB-1 further until it reaches Mach 1, the speed of sound. The team plans to proceed up to 30,000 feet, the altitude at which the XB-1 is planned to fly to reach supersonic speeds in the future.

The XB-1 made its inaugural test flight in March 2023, completing the first of ten planned subsonic test flights. Since then, the aircraft has been progressively pushed to higher speeds and altitudes. Boom Technology performed test flights within a similar timeframe in September and October, hitting test points at Mach 0.7, 0.75, and 0.8.

The recent achievement of Mach 0.81 is a significant step towards surpassing the sound barrier. However, the XB-1's new top speed is still a far cry from Concorde's top speeds. Concorde, retired in 2003, could fly at Mach 2.04 when it was over water, and one of its issues was the sonic boom that made it much louder than ordinary flights.

Supersonic flight over land has been banned in the United States for more than 50 years due to the noise of sonic booms. Similarly, commercial supersonic flight over land has been banned in the United Kingdom for about 20 years for the same reason. The UK's aerospace watchdog has said it will review its ban on commercial supersonic flight after these recent developments.

Aerospace firms worldwide are racing to build the successor to the Concorde. Several manufacturers, including NASA and Lockheed Martin, are actively developing new supersonic aircraft. Lockheed Martin has revealed the X-59, an experimental aircraft designed to quiet the sonic boom. Boom Supersonic aims to develop the next generation of faster-than-sound commercial jetliners.

The purpose of the XB-1's test flights is to prove design and engineering concepts and systems. Engineers are aiming to push the aircraft further until it reaches Mach 1. The recent flight allowed the team to perform a final cockpit pressurization test at maximum pressure differential by flying at a new maximum altitude of 23,015 feet, which was 3,000 feet higher than flight six.

The pilot, Tristan "Geppetto" Brandenburg, has previously described the experience of manning the aircraft as "fantastic." He is confident that the XB-1 is on its way to signal the return of supersonic air travel.

Boom Technology has not yet revealed the date of flight number eight, but it could happen in as little as two weeks' time. The company is steadily working towards its goal of making supersonic travel more accessible and financially feasible. Overture's round-trip ticket prices are expected to be around $5,000 (£3,823), making supersonic travel more financially feasible compared to the Concorde, which often had fares too high for most customers due to restricted flight availability.

Concorde proved to be an inefficient way to fly in terms of fuel usage. The final straw for Concorde was the sheer sound of the aircraft before it broke the sound barrier, startling those on the ground. Supersonic jets were banned in the UK in 2003 due to the supersonic boom they created and due to how expensive they were to operate, which made them inaccessible for most customers.

Dreams of a supersonic future in air travel have been placed firmly on ice ever since the retirement of the Concorde in October 2003. There have been no commercial aircraft capable of hypersonic or supersonic flight since then. However, the XB-1's progress is a step in the right direction, bringing renewed hope for the return of supersonic passenger flights.

Meanwhile, Reaction Engines, the company behind the UK's own hypersonic jet, collapsed in late October 2023, meaning its 4,000 mph aircraft is grounded for good. This leaves Boom Technology at the forefront of efforts to bring back faster-than-sound commercial air travel.

Most commercial flights today cruise at speeds of up to 575 mph at most. The XB-1's recent achievement of 499 knots true airspeed, or about 574 miles per hour, demonstrates its capability to match and eventually exceed current commercial flight speeds.

As the XB-1 continues to perform at progressively faster speeds and higher altitudes, Boom Technology remains committed to breaking the sound barrier and making supersonic travel a reality once more.

Sources: The Sun, LADbible, The Scottish Sun

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq