Boom Supersonic has successfully executed its second test flight at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California, a move that helps the company strive toward its first supersonic test flight later in 2024.
The second test flight of Boom’s XB-1 supersonic demo aircraft follows the initial flight earlier this year where the aircraft reached speeds of up to 238 knots (273 mph) and reached an altitude of 7,120. The company then was cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration to allow the aircraft to exceed Mach 1.
In this flight, XB-1, which is the prototype of the Overture supersonic aircraft that will be in production eventually, tested its landing gear that successfully retracted and extend for the first time. Additionally, the aircraft was assessed for its handling qualities and activation of the digital stability augmentation system, or roll damper, for the first time.
The flight was conducted by test pilot Tristan Brandenburg, who flew in the chase plane for XB-1’s first flight. Brandenburg will be the pilot who controls the XB-1 for the remainder of the test program including the first supersonic flight Boom hopes to conduct later this year.
The second Boom Supersonic aircraft flight included testing the landing gear at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California. Source: Boom
The next steps
Boom said now that it has two successful flights under its belt, it will begin to expand the flight envelop to include:
- Confirm performance and handling qualities beyond Mach 1
- In-flight checks of all systems
- Demonstrating safe margin to flutter boundaries
The test flights will increase through the next phase with about 10 flights planned before reaching supersonic speeds.
