Boom Supersonic flight campaign picks up pace – and speed
September 23, 2024
After what seemed to be a tentative start to its flight test programme, Boom Supersonic appears to be picking up pace with its ongoing campaign; having just completed the fourth flight of its XB-1 subscale demonstrator. However, a technological hardware glitch may see the aircraft grounded for up to a month while an ‘uncooperative’ component is returned to the vendor.
“Flight four is complete – and it came and went fast,” wrote the company on social media at the weekend; clarifying that during the 48 minute flight, XB-1 reached a new maximum altitude of 16,150ft and a new top speed of Mach 0.617. Through approximately ten sorties, XB-1 ‘s flight test programme is looking to achieve a top speed of Mach 1.3, with the aircraft expected to break the sound barrier by the end of this year.
Since first publicly unveiling the XB-1 – intended to inform the design and development of Boom’s supersonic Overture airliner – in October 2023, initial progress towards an airborne campaign seemed slow, with previous chief test pilot Bill ‘Doc’ Shoremaker making the inaugural flight some five months later on 22 March 2024. “XB-1 met all of its test objectives, including safely and successfully achieving an altitude of 7,120 feet and speeds of up to 238kts,” explained Boom at the time.
However, speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024, CEO Blake Scholl confirmed that roll characteristics (descried by the pilot as “a little bit exciting”) had delayed a second flight while a new roll system was implemented. A second flight was completed in August with chief test pilot Tritan ‘Geppetto’ Brandenburg at the controls for the first time.
Less than three weeks elapsed before the third flight on 13 September, while the subsequent eight days before flight four represented the shortest time between takeoffs yet; symbolic of the pace appearing to build within the campaign.
However, alongside reaching elevated g-forces of 2.78G, this most recent flight also saw the first use of the flutter excitation system (FES) in flight (something employed to impart structural vibrations which can be measured and logged). “The only lowlight: FES didn’t co-operate for M0.6 test point. So we’re pulling it out and shipping to vendor. Maybe back in the air in 3-4 weeks,” wrote Scholl on social media.
Overture is anticipated to enter service by 2029, with Scholl having stated earlier this year that Boom aren’t “trying to do things any faster than before”. With Concorde the “story of a journey started but not yet finished, “we have time to do this well,” he concluded.
