Boom's XB-1 test plane shows supersonic flight with no audible sonic boom
MOJAVE, Calif. - Boom Supersonic in Denver has demonstrated a method for flying supersonic over land without generating an audible sonic boom, the company announced.
During a test flight originating in California's Mojave Desert on 28 Jan., Boom’s XB-1 demonstrator aircraft broke the sound barrier three times at Mach 1.12, with specialized microphones confirming that no booms reached the ground. The company attributed this to a phenomenon known as Mach cutoff, where a sonic boom refracts in the atmosphere and dissipates before reaching the surface.
"XB-1 broke the sound barrier three times during its first supersonic flight—without an audible boom," said Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl. "This confirms what we've long believed: supersonic travel can be affordable, sustainable, and friendly to those onboard and on the ground."
Related: Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 achieves first faster-than-sound flight
Boom plans to incorporate this technology, called Boomless Cruise, into its Overture airliner. The airliner is designed to reach Mach 1.3 over land without an audible boom, potentially reducing flight times by up to 90 minutes on U.S. coast-to-coast routes. Due to existing regulations, Overture was previously set to operate at Mach 0.94 over land and Mach 1.7 over water.
The company said Boomless Cruise is made possible by Overture’s Symphony engine, which allows the aircraft to break the sound barrier at high altitudes. Boom expects to begin engine core testing by the end of 2025.
