Boom Supersonic recently marked a significant milestone in the development of next-generation jets with the successful second test flight of its XB-1 demonstrator aircraft. This test flight, conducted in collaboration with NASA, featured a groundbreaking use of Schlieren photography to capture shockwaves produced during supersonic flight.
Schlieren Photography is a specialized technique used to visualize the air disturbances or shockwaves created when an aircraft exceeds the speed of sound. For this test, NASA officials utilized ground telescopes with special filters to detect these air distortions around the jet. The technique allowed them to capture a stunning image of the first American-made civil supersonic jet breaking the sound barrier.
“Boomless Cruise enables Overture to fly at speeds up to Mach 1.3 without an audible boom, reducing U.S. coast-to-coast flight times by up to 90 minutes,” the press release states.
“XB-1’s second supersonic flight marked the conclusion of its groundbreaking flight test program, and the historic aircraft will now return to her birthplace in Denver, Colorado. Boom will now focus its full efforts on scaling XB-1 learnings and technology to build the Overture supersonic airliner, which already has 130 orders and pre-orders from United Airlines, American Airlines and Japan Airlines. In 2024, Boom completed construction on the Overture Superfactory in Greensboro, North Carolina, which will scale to produce 66 Overture aircraft per year,” Boom said in their release.
The successful flight and the accompanying photograph highlight the exceptional flying skills of Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, who piloted the aircraft. According to Blake Scholl, Founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic, “This image makes the invisible visible” and represents a key step in developing faster, more efficient air travel.
In addition to capturing the imagery, NASA teams collected valuable sound data, confirming that the XB-1 flight generated no audible sonic boom. This is an important breakthrough in boomless supersonic flight, which is essential for the development of Boom’s larger Overture passenger jets. By eliminating the disruptive sonic boom, Boom Supersonic aims to offer coast-to-coast flights up to 50% faster, revolutionizing air travel.
This flight test, conducted at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, is part of Boom Supersonic’sbroader effort to bring supersonic passenger jets to the market, with plans for a full-scale facility dedicated to the development of these advanced aircraft.
