PREVIEW

Boom Supersonic, the aerospace company building the world's fastest airliner, in Denver on Wednesday (7 Oct), unveiled its supersonic demonstrator, XB-1, history's first independently developed supersonic jet.

To design and build XB-1, Boom recruited a team of experts from around the industry, forged relationships with key suppliers, and built a strong safety culture. XB-1 is slated to fly for the first time in 2021 and will undergo a 100% carbon-neutral flight test program. Boom's innovations include developing one of the highest-efficiency civil supersonic engine intakes ever tested, demonstrating Boom's ability to deliver a breakthrough in propulsive efficiency for Overture.

"Boom continues to make progress towards our founding mission—making the world dramatically more accessible," said Blake Scholl, Boom founder and CEO. "XB-1 is an important milestone towards the development of our commercial airliner, Overture, making sustainable supersonic flight mainstream and fostering human connection."

Boom's XB-1 virtual rollout highlighted some of XB-1's notable features including:

Shape: XB-1's 71-foot-long fuselage has been optimally shaped for high-speed aerodynamic efficiency.

Materials: The carbon-composite airframe maintains its strength and rigidity, even under the high temperatures and stresses of supersonic flight.

Wing: The delta wing balances low-speed stability at takeoff and landing with high-speed efficiency.

Propulsion: Three J85-15 engines, designed by General Electric, provide more than 12,000 pounds of thrust, allowing XB-1 to fly at breakthrough supersonic speeds.

Cockpit ergonomics: Guidance and feedback from XB-1's test pilots played a key role in cockpit design, which was the product of hundreds of hours of human factors and usability testing.

Forward vision system: XB-1 leverages a high-resolution video camera and cockpit display to give pilots a virtual window through the nose, providing superior runway visibility for landing.