Boom Supersonic, a Colorado-based company that aims to build the world’s fastest airliner, has received an experimental airworthiness certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for its XB-1 technology demonstrator aircraft. The certificate allows the company to conduct flight tests of the XB-1, a supersonic jet that will serve as a precursor to the Overture airliner.
The XB-1 is a one-third scale prototype of the Overture, which is expected to fly at Mach 2.2, or more than twice the speed of sound, and carry up to 88 passengers. The XB-1 will fly at Mach 1.3, or about 1,000 miles per hour, and demonstrate the key technologies and design features of the Overture, such as advanced aerodynamics, carbon-fiber composite materials, and efficient engines.
The FAA approval is a major milestone for Boom Supersonic, which plans to roll out the XB-1 later this year and fly it for the first time in 2022. The company hopes to launch the Overture in 2025 and start commercial service in 2029. The company says that the Overture will offer affordable and sustainable supersonic travel, with fares comparable to current business class tickets and emissions net-zero through the use of sustainable aviation fuel.
Boom Supersonic has already attracted interest from several airlines that have placed pre-orders for the Overture, including American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. The company says that it has secured orders for 70 aircraft so far, and that it expects to see more demand as the market recovers from the pandemic.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, Boom Supersonic, cnbc.com
