Flight Achieves Record Speed and Altitude

Boom’s XB-1 supersonic demonstrator aircraft completed its ninth test flight on December 13. The flight set records for both speed and altitude, laying a high standard for the upcoming subsonic test campaign finale.

The test flight, piloted by Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, lasted a total of 56 minutes. It reached a maximum altitude of 27,716 ft, far surpassing its previous 25,040 ft mark. The airspeed topped out at 517 knots, or Mach 0.87. This is Mach 0.05 (30 knots) greater than the highest recorded speed in test 8.

Flight test nine aimed to complete critical systems checks as the XB-1 moves closer to going supersonic. It conducted flutter tests at higher speeds, with the fastest being at Mach 0.85. This ensures that the airframe behaves as intended at each new flight envelope level.

One focal point of flight nine was studying the impact of updates to the XB-1’s flutter excitation system (FES). During flight eight, held on November 16, Boom’s team collected data on the system’s effectiveness and used it to make refinements. Many of these upgrades had to be designed completely from scratch due to the XB-1’s unique nature. 

“These modifications enable a safer and more efficient progression through the transonic and supersonic regimes in the remaining test flights,” Boom explained. “We anticipate an additional flight to accomplish all safety checks prior to supersonic flight, which we are now targeting in early 2025."

Another key point of flight nine involved a collaboration with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and Air Force Operational Energy Office. The partners installed MicroTau’s shark skin ‘riblet’ to the XB-1’s aft belly area to check its durability at transonic speeds. The technology is intended to reduce drag, increase fuel efficiency, and lower emissions.

XB-1 “Baby Boom” took its debut flight on March 22, 2024. It lays the groundwork for Boom’s next project, a supersonic airliner titled Overture.

FMI: www.boomsupersonic.com