A civilian jet has achieved an aviation milestone, breaking the sound barrier for the first time during a test flight over the Mojave Desert in California.
Boom Supersonics’ XB-1 aircraft, flown by Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, entered the supersonic corridor on Tuesday and reached an altitude of 35,290 feet before accelerating to more than 1,200kph – breaking the sound barrier for the first time.
The flight marks the first time an independently developed jet has broken the sound barrier, and the company said it is “the first civil supersonic jet made in America”.
Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl said there’s demand for supersonic flights with the company already having 130 orders and pre-orders from American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines.