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Boom Supersonic, the aerospace company aiming to build the world’s fastest airliner, announced that its supersonic demonstrator, XB-1, will roll out on Oct. 7, 2020. In keeping with CDC-recommended social distancing measures, the entire event will be available online and will allow attendees an opportunity to submit questions to company leadership.
XB-1 is the world’s first independently developed supersonic jet and will demonstrate key technologies for Overture, Boom’s commercial airliner, such as advanced carbon fibre composite construction, computer-optimized high-efficiency aerodynamics, and an efficient supersonic propulsion system. XB-1 is the end product of years of development effort, including multiple wind tunnel tests, dozens of structural tests, hundreds of simulation iterations, and tens of thousands of work hours.
“Our experiences in the COVID-19 pandemic underscore for all of us the fundamental human need for personal connection. Faster travel enables us to experience the world’s people, cultures, and places, and XB-1 is the first step in bringing supersonic back to the world,” said Blake Scholl, Boom founder and chief executive officer. “With XB-1, we’re demonstrating that we are prepared to bring back supersonic. We’re ensuring that the supersonic future is safe and environmentally and economically sustainable. We’ve learned that the demand for supersonic has grown even faster than we anticipated.”
To design and build XB-1, Boom has recruited a team of experts from around the industry, established supplier relationships, and built a strong safety culture. XB-1 is the first aircraft program to announce a 100 per cent carbon-neutral flight test program. The company’s innovations include one of the highest-efficiency civil supersonic intakes ever tested, demonstrating Boom’s ability to deliver a breakthrough in propulsive efficiency for Overture. XB-1 will begin its test program later this year and is slated for first flight in 2021.
Boom’s commercial aircraft, Overture, will be the fastest and most sustainable supersonic airliner, flying twice as fast as any commercial airplane today, according to the company, allowing Boom to bring families, businesses, and cultures closer together through supersonic travel and thus make the world dramatically more accessible.
The company is hosting a virtual rollout event to give the world a first look at the completed aircraft and hear from the team that designed, built and will test the aircraft. The lead engineers, test pilots and company leadership will explore the technical and design innovations, the flight and handling criteria and how the demonstrator positions the company to build its flagship, Overture. Stay up to date on details about the event here.
