More than 17 years have passed since the last supersonic passenger flight took off. The next one called the Overture will fly passengers soon, once its demo flight of XB-1 is successful in October this year.
Concorde dominated the commercial supersonic travel for more than 30 years, and was considered the top luxury air travel and was known to swiftly cross the Atlantic in record time.
But unfortunately, the supersonic flight era ended with Concorde's demise. The Colorado-based builder, Boom Supersonic is here to make supersonic flights take off from where Concorde left off. The company's new high-speed aircraft - The Overture - is seeking to restore commercial travel.
Next Supersonic
It is a $200 million aircraft aiming to move passengers on air crossing speed of sound in the next 10 years, preferably using alternative fuels. Boom Supersonic just announced that the Overture's demonstrator - XB-1- will roll out in October.
The XB-1 is a prototype that will take to the skies in 2021 for its aerial debut testing scheduled for mid-2020s. It is ready for roll out on October 7, 2020. The XB-1 is a one-third scale demo airplane for the original Overture.
The company expects passenger flights would be out by 2030. Supersonic jets can travel at altitudes of 60,000 to 70,000 feet, which is much above sub-sonic aircrafts.
What's New?
The overture uses a combination of computer simulations and wind-tunnel testing that will balance low-speed stability with high-speed efficiency, according to a statement. Further, the prototype will feature advanced thermally stable carbon-composite airframes. Both XB-1 and Overture are easier to fabricate with materials lighter than aluminum to maximize fuel efficiency.
"Every element of XB-1 and Overture has already been certified by the FAA in other contexts," the company said.
The company claims that its "latest noise-reducing technology" to ensure no increase to existing noise contours, The impact of Boom Supersonic's aircrafts on airport communities would be similar to that of the long-haul aircrafts, said the firm.
On sonic booms, the company says, "Overture will only fly at supersonic speeds over the ocean, eliminating community exposure to sonic booms."
