Boom Supersonic XB-1 Completes 2nd Flight

Boom Supersonic has officially completed the second flight of its XB-1, a supersonic demonstrator designed to aid the development of Overture.

During the second flight, Boom says the aircraft successfully retracted and thus extended the landing gear, which was an important achievement for the team behind the aircraft.

Other objectives, however, were also laid out for the second flight, with Boom stating it wanted to assess the XB-1’s overall handling qualities.

Furthermore, the ability to activate the new digital stability augmentation system for the first time was focused on. This system has been implemented to improve handling qualities after the conclusion of the first flight.

The flight, which lasted some 15 minutes, saw the aircraft reach a maximum altitude of 10,400 feet and a top speed of 232 knots at 277 miles per hour.

Blake Scholl, the founder and CEO of Boom, stated that the second flight was a resounding success, and initial results indicated a resolution of findings found during Flight One.

Thus, the overall pathway for this aircraft will continue, and the second flight represents another vital chapter in the return to supersonic air travel, which is aimed at being done through Overture, a full-scale aircraft.

What’s Next For The XB-1?

Having completed its second flight, Boom Supersonic wants to expand the flight envelope to confirm performance and handling qualities through and beyond Mach 1.

As part of these checks, Boom will focus strictly on elements such as inflight systems alongside test points to better understand boundaries regarding vibrations.

The path to Supersonic flying is still some time away. However, Boom states that approximately ten flights are planned, which will act as the next phase of flight testing because the demonstrator will reach supersonic speeds.

Following the overhaul to the primary Overute design, XB-1 has received its fair share of criticism, with some onlookers discrediting the demonstrator’s purpose.

Despite this, Boom has slowly but surely powered along and focused on moving forward with the XB-1. Getting it airborne was a massive step, and there’s much more on the cards.