Up To Speed: August
Following XB-1’s first flight in March, the completion of the Overture Superfactory in June, and significant advancements across Overture and Symphony programs in July, August has proven to be another month of significant program progress. XB-1 successfully flew for the second time in Mojave, California, piloted by Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg. We continue to target year-end for its first supersonic flight. We also marked the anniversary of Boom’s agreement with American Airlines. All of this as we continue to move forward with Symphony testing and look forward to Overture’s passenger’s experience, which we’ll start to share in the coming weeks.
XB-1 completes second flight
This week, XB-1 successfully completed its second flight at the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California with Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg at the controls. The landing gear was retracted and extended in flight for the first time. The XB-1 team also assessed aircraft handling qualities, and demonstrated a new stability augmentation system, or roll damper.
Following its historic first flight in March 2024, XB-1 continues to progress through its flight test program, targeting supersonic flight by the end of the year. The XB-1 program provides the foundation for the design and development of Overture, Boom’s supersonic airliner, while establishing a safety-first culture.
“XB-1 had a fantastic second flight this morning. Initial results indicate we’ve successfully resolved the findings from Flight One and are excited to continue flight testing on the path to supersonic flight,” said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. “I’m proud of the team. Today’s flight is another step toward the return of supersonic passenger travel.”
Read more about XB-1’s second flight here.
Meet XB-1 Chief Test Pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg
Boom’s Chief Test Pilot, Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, piloted XB-1’s second flight and flew in the chase plane during XB-1’s first flight. Geppetto will be at the controls of XB-1 as it advances toward and achieves supersonic flight. Before XB-1’s first flight, we caught up with Geppetto to hear what inspired his passion for aviation, his impressive naval background, and a road-less-traveled runway in the Outer Banks of North Carolina that leads to perfect beach days. Hear more from Geppetto here.
Boom marks anniversary of American Airlines Overture agreement
This month marked two years since American Airlines announced an agreement to purchase Overture aircraft, placing a deposit on 20 Overtures with an option for 40 more. This agreement positioned the world’s largest airline to have the world’s largest supersonic fleet. Learn more here.
Overture Livery Design Contest
This month, we asked our followers to design Overture’s livery and submit for the chance to win an Overture 1:125 scale model and a fully rendered image featuring their air-craftmanship. We are no longer accepting submissions, but stay tuned to see the winners announced by September 10 and learn more about the contest here.
Featured News
Reuters: US Aerospace Startup Completes Second Supersonic Jet Test Flight
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Space.com: Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 Prototype Aces 2nd Test Flight
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