Boom Supersonic is scheduled to continuously conduct test flights of the XB-1 demonstration aircraft as part of the passenger supersonic jet development program. The flights are conducted with the aim of testing and confirming the flight characteristics, control quality and safety as a prerequisite for achieving speeds greater than Mach 1. Ten test flights are planned before reaching supersonic speeds. The first of them was successfully carried out in March 2024.
The last of the so far performed, the eighth test flight, took place on November 16, 2024. The flight, as in previous test flights, was piloted by pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg. The highest flight height of 25,040 ft was reached so far. This flight primarily tested a special achievement of the XB-1 program – approaching such a design of the XB-1 aircraft that allows it to maintain control stability at high speeds, independent of the functioning of the automated computer system, called the stability enhancement system, on which other modern fighters rely aircraft. The flight was successfully conducted with the stability enhancement system turned off at a speed of Mach 0.8, which confirmed the safety of controlling the aircraft at high speeds without relying on the aforementioned system.
With this, the program is one step closer to achieving the first flight at supersonic speed, planned for the end of this year.
