It’s a few years late, but a prototype supersonic airplane has taken flight
Enlarge / XB-1 takes off on its inaugural flight. (credit: Boom Supersonic)
A prototype jet independently developed by Boom Supersonic made its first flight on Friday, the company said.
The XB-1 vehicle flew from Mojave Air & Space Port in California, reaching an altitude of 7,120 feet (2.2 km) and a maximum speed of 273 mph (439 kph). In a news release, Boom Supersonic said the initial test flight of the XB-1 aircraft met all of its objectives.
"The experience we have gained in reaching this milestone will be invaluable to Boom’s revival of supersonic travel," said Bill “Doc” Shoemaker, Chief Test Pilot for Boom Supersonic.