Boom Supersonic logs 2nd successful XB-1 flight on path toward future Greensboro-made jet

MOJAVE, Calif. (WGHP) — Boom’s supersonic aircraft successfully flew its second test flight at the Mojave Air & Space Port in California on Monday, another step closer to creating its carbon-neutral commercial jet in the Piedmont Triad.

This was the second successful flight of the XB-1 aircraft after the company reported its first in March . The XB-1, described by Boom as “the world’s first independently developed supersonic jet,” was built at the company’s headquarters in Denver.

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Boom Supersonic

Boom Supersonic logs 2nd successful XB-1 flight on path toward future Greensboro-made jet

Boom Supersonic successfully flies XB-1, paving way for future Overture jet to be built in Greensboro

Boom Supersonic XB-1, testing for jet to be built in Greensboro, faces landmark flights in the Mojave Desert

Boom’s success with XB-1 paves the way for greater heights with the planned Overture aircraft. With XB-1, Boom aimed to prove that independently-built supersonic flight is possible and to test specifics related to Overture, such as technology and safety protocols, according to Boom spokesperson Aubrey Scanlan.

Overture will be roughly three times the size of XB-1, and it’s planned to carry 64-80 passengers on intercontinental flights at speeds of up to about Mach 1.7 (or 1,304.36 miles per hour). That is about twice as fast as a Boeing 747 . All of that while using non-petroleum sustainable fuel. Already the company has 130 orders in for the future jet , as well as pre-orders from American Airlines, United Airlines and Japan Airlines.

Boom is in the process of building a factory in Greensboro where it plans to build the passenger jet that will fly faster than the speed of sound.

The factory is set to add $32 billion to the North Carolina state economy over the next 20 years along with more than 2,400 jobs.

Plans call for the assembly line to be in operation later next year. The first jet could take flight in 2026. The company hopes flights should be ready for passengers by 2029.

About Boom

Boom is investing about $500 million to build Overture in Greensboro and, in January 2023, signed a lease and broke ground on a 62-acre site where its so-called “Superfactory” is well under construction . The company, which plans to employ more than 1,700, also has an option for a second parcel .

Boom plans to have its first passengers in the air by 2029 and will fly more than 600 “profitable routes” to destinations around the world, with a range of 4,250 nautical miles.

Boom has taken on three partners to design and build the engine it calls “Symphony,” which will power the Overture, and now has partnerships with companies to provide the wings, the fuselage and the tail assembly.

Another partner, Dimensional Energy, is to provide “sustainable aviation fuel,” which is described by the U.S. Department of Energy as being made from “renewable biomass and waste resources,” which could be corn, algae or wood products.

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