Boom Supersonic achieves supersonic flight
Two decades after Concorde's retirement, Boom Supersonic's test aircraft has broken the sound barrier, signalling the return of commercial supersonic flight. Olivia Palamountain reports
A major milestone in the revival of supersonic air travel has been achieved as the Boom Supersonic XB-1 test aircraft broke the sound barrier above California's Mojave Desert.
The XB-1 demonstrator aircraft reached Mach 1.1 (850 mph) during three high-speed runs lasting 35 minutes on January 28, 2025.
The flight took place more than two decades after British Airways retired Concorde due to financial difficulties – and in the same airspace where Chuck Yeager first exceeded the speed of sound in 1947.
Historically, supersonic aircraft have been the work of nation states, developed by militaries and governments. XB-1’s supersonic flight marks the first time an independently developed jet has broken the sound barrier.
"It's time to go big and take this airplane and scale it up," Blake Scholl, Boom's founder, tells The Telegraph. "We're not going to stop until everyone can benefit from this. Let's make America boom again."
Former Concorde chief pilot Mike Bannister, who witnessed the test flight, described it as "absolutely amazing". Speaking to The Telegraph, he says: "The industry has gone backwards in the last 20 years since Concorde stopped. But historically the human race has always wanted to go faster. It's a thrill to see this."The company plans to introduce its Overture airliner by the end of the decade, capable of cruising at Mach 1.7 - twice the speed of today's fastest commercial aircraft. The £200 million aircraft would carry approximately 65 passengers, potentially halving the journey time between Paris and New York to four hours.
United and American Airlines have placed outline orders for the aircraft, with Boom aiming to produce 33 units annually at its North Carolina factory. The company estimates a market demand for more than 1,000 aircraft, based on current business class travel patterns.