Boom

Boom Supersonic has gone, well, supersonic, its XB-1 prototype breaking the sound barrier today in the skies over the Mojave Air & Space Port in California. With Chief Test Pilot Tristan Brandenburg at the controls, it reached a speed of Mach 1.122.

After 10 months of flight testing, Boom Supersonic has announced that it will make the first supersonic flight of its XB-1 prototype tomorrow at 7:45 am PST in the skies over the Mojave Desert in California. Here's how to watch.

Commercial supersonic flight sped closer to returning as the Boom Supersonic XB-1 prototype reached a transonic speed of Mach 0.95 during Test Flight 11 on January 10, 2025, in the skies over the Mojave Desert in California.

Boom's XB-1 supersonic jet took its fifth test flight last week setting a few new records. The XB-1 is the one-third scale platform that Boom is using for its eventual Overture program aiming to bring back commercial supersonic passenger flight.

Boom Supersonic has completed the second test flight of its XB-1 supersonic demonstrator. On August 26, 2024, the prototype aircraft took off with Chief Test Pilot Tristan Brandenburg at the controls for a 15-minute flight at Mojave, California.

Boom has been given permission to go supersonic by the US FAA. The first-ever Special Flight Authorization (SFA) to Exceed Mach means the company's XB-1 prototype will be allowed to break the sound barrier during its test flights.

The first private supersonic aircraft since Concorde retired two decades ago has successfully taken to the skies. On March 22, Boom's XB-1 supersonic demonstrator completed its maiden flight at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California.

After a 20-year hiatus, the return of commercial supersonic flight is another step closer after Boom Supersonic announced that its prototype faster-than-sound jet has undergone ground tests and won an experimental airworthiness certificate from the US FAA.

At this year's Paris Air Show, Boom Supersonic announced a raft of new supplier agreements that reveal technical specifications for the company's planned Overture supersonic commercial airliner and its custom Symphony engine.

The future of civilian commercial supersonic travel looks a bit firmer today after American Airlines and Boom Supersonic signed an agreement for the airline to put down a non-returnable deposit towards the purchase of 20 Overture supersonic aircraft.

Military variants of a civilian supersonic airliner are already on the cards after Northrop Grumman and Boom Supersonic signed an agreement at the Farnborough Air Show to develop special quick-reaction mission variants of Boom’s Overture aircraft.

There are more than a few ifs, buts and maybes hanging over the development of Boom's Overture supersonic airliner, but if the company can jump through the necessary hoops United Airlines will be ready to grab a slice of the action.