The alleged successor to the famed Concorde, the XB-1 prototype, will be tested in the coming months, the aircraft developers at Boom Technology announced.
If the XB-1 succeeds, the company will do its utmost to bring production to its 55-seat passenger aircraft project. The new supersonic prototype will be unveiled to the public on October 7th.
Industry insiders believe cutting-edge technology could pave the way for a return to ultra-fast supersonic air travel. Denver-based Boom Technology has already raised $ 141 million to build the XB-1.
According to Flight Global, the company has already attached the ship's wings to the fuselage, built its vertical stabilizer and completed chassis tests. The XB-1 is believed to have a top speed of Mach 2.2 – nearly 2,700 kilometers per hour.
The successor to the Concorde, the XB-1 prototype will be tested next month. The aircraft will only accommodate one pilot (an experienced US Air Force pilot). The tests will take place at the California Air and Space Port Mojave in 2021. Here's what the company representatives said:
“With the XB-1, we are demonstrating that we are ready to bring back supersonic aircraft. We ensure the supersonic future is safe, environmentally and economically sustainable.
We learned that the demand for supersonic transportation is growing faster than we expected. If we can fly twice as fast, the world will be half the size, turning distant lands into familiar neighbors. '
If the XB-1 succeeds in its test flight, Boom Technology will shift its focus to Boom Overture, a proposed 55-seat passenger aircraft.
Richard Branson and Japan Airlines have already made investments, Simple Flying reports.
Both companies have pre-ordered a total of 30 aircraft and are eagerly awaiting when Overture will be able to accommodate its first passengers. The company's experts are confident that Overture (with a possible maximum speed of Mach 2.2) will start flying in the mid-2020s and sell for $ 200 million per aircraft.
