Posted on 10/10/2024 7:17:22 PM PDT by Red Badger
Boom's XB-1 supersonic jet took its fifth test flight out of Mojave Air & Space Port on Oct 7th, 2024 setting a few new records in the process. The XB-1 is the one-third-scale platform that Boom is using as the foundation for its eventual Overture aircraft that aims to bring back commercialized supersonic passenger flight.
It's been over 20 years since the Concorde took its last flight. It went supersonic in 1969, able to fly at Mach 2 (about 1,354 mph / 2,180 km/h). Though it could fly passengers from New York to London in under three hours (compared to the typical seven to eight-hour journey), it had two major issues: first, the Concorde was very thirsty. It would burn 5,638 gallons (25,629 L) of fuel per hour at that speed. Secondly, it was very noisy. The sonic booms it would create caused issues when it would fly over land and subsequently, supersonic travel over populated areas was restricted. Oh, and it was really expensive to book a flight in. We're talking US$12,000 for a luxury round trip.
As a result, the Concorde – an icon of commercial travel and aviation history – was taken out of service on October 24th, 2003, relegating commercial supersonic travel to the annals of history.
Colorado-based Boom Supersonic is looking to change all that.
In March of this year, the world's first privately developed supersonic jet took flight for the very first time with pilot Bill "Doc" Shoemaker at the controls. This flight took place in what might be considered hallowed airspace, as the Mojave Air & Space Port in Mojave, California is also the location where the Bell X-1 first broke the sound barrier in 1947.
(Excerpt) Read more at newatlas.com ...
https://boomsupersonic.com/flyby/xb-1-live-blog-flight-test-program
SUPERSONIC AVIATION PING!.........
This flight was to 0.69 Mach ... they're proceeding carefully.
Well, it’s not made of carbon fiber..................
Even if it were ... Carbon fiber is great for aircraft. Lousy for submarines ...
It doesn’t appear to have a lot of passenger room... Will they be creating a commercial version, or will this be purely private passenger aviation?
This is a 1/3 scale test bed...................
I see outlines for windows but no actual passenger windows. Perhaps those will be in the full size model.
Although, I’ve thought for some time now that windows aren’t necessary. Exterior cameras and interior screens would seem to be superior.
Yes, smoother exterior skin, more aerodynamically efficient..............
Wrong. Sydney is 12050 km from LA. It would fall out of the air from fuel exhaustion somewhere over the South Pacific. The author of this article is an idiot and has a problem with math.
I can not see this craft as a commercial success. Aerodynamic drag is a function of velocity squared. Example: A modern jet airliner will fly at about 550 knots, this craft will be flying at about 1300 knots. 550 knots squared =302500, 1300 knots squared =1690000. Thus the drag at that speed is 5.5 times greater. Fuel burn will kill it as a commercial success.
It may have a niche market for those of great wealth. Fuel burn and range killed the Concord as it will this new aircraft.
I lived near Heathrow Airport in the 70s. Concord would fly over my house daily. I never tired of seeing that beautiful machine and the roar of the Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 turbojet engines.
Anyone who’s ever taken a trans-Pacific flight and listened to how many frequent flyer miles you get knows that 4100 miles from LA to Sydney, Australia is nonsense.
“We’re talking US$12,000 for a luxury round trip.”
Not if you have a Saudi government subsidized flight. I was making arrangements for my trip home with my travel agent. Decided I wanted to fly business class. I had it mostly set up when my travel agent informed me that if I spent 500 dollars more and didn’t mind a lay over in London, I could fly on the Concorde. I said sign me up. Was a great flight. Mach 2 at 60 thousand feet baby.
My favorite speed records were set by Maj Henry J. Deutschendorf. You might know of his famous son John Deutschendorf, who went by the stage name John Denver.
Chuck Yeager and the Bell X-1 were based @ Muroc Army Air Field, which is now Edwards AFB.
who went by the stage name John Denver.......
and died in a plane crash when it ran out of fuel and he could not access the fuel tank switch to use the other tank.....................
I recall hearing sonic booms caused by the B-58 when I was in college. Everyone knew what they were and didn’t fret about the “booms” like they do now.
In March, 1963, I saw a B-58 on the ramp @ NAS Jax. It was under guard by armed Marines. Couldn’t get near it.
Beautiful airplane, IMHO! In the category of the RA-5C Vigilante!
Seven years later, at NAS Cubi Point, RP, I met an Air Force Major who had flown the Hustler. His stories were fascinating! I bought his drinks!
Make money with Boom!
You are very right. And I also don’t see much future use of the aircaft either. Mach 2 with a stripped aircraft is fine, but so what. It falls into the capacity need of the SR-71 that they had a lot of trouble using it. It finally became a traveling poloroid machine. They just couldn’t shoot it down. And it fessed up to Mach 4. But those ponies need feeding and they had to refuel sometimes twice before it reached the altitude it worked at. The SR had a range of 2500 miles but climbing to altitude uses fuel.
wy69
You are very right. And I also don’t see much future use of the aircaft either. Mach 2 with a stripped aircraft is fine, but so what. It falls into the capacity need of the SR-71 that they had a lot of trouble using it. It finally became a traveling poloroid machine. They just couldn’t shoot it down. And it fessed up to Mach 4. But those ponies need feeding and they had to refuel sometimes twice before it reached the altitude it worked at. The SR had a range of 2500 miles but climbing to altitude uses fuel.
wy69
If it’s not the XB-70 Valkyrie I’m not going.....
I want them to rebuild the #2 prototype
If it’s 737 Max, I’m DEFINITELY not going......
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