Boom Supersonic is getting closer to living up to its name and went higher and faster on its seventh test flight on Nov. 5. The prototype got to Mach .82 (499 knots) and 23,000 feet and company officials are talking about going supersonic in the next few flights. “XB-1, Boom’s supersonic demonstrator aircraft, continues to progress toward Mach 1,” the company said in a statement. Test pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg was at the controls for the flight.
The prototype is the forerunner of an eventual supersonic airliner called Overture the company hopes to have operational in the next decade. “Flight seven focused on flutter envelope expansion and cockpit pressure testing in order to ensure safe performance and handling qualities as XB-1 approaches supersonic speeds and higher altitudes,” the company statement said.
