Boom Supersonic's XB-1 aircraft successfully broke the sound barrier three times without producing an audible sonic boom during a test flight. The company attributes this breakthrough to 'Mach cutoff,' a physics principle that allows supersonic aircraft to fly at high altitudes where the sonic boom refracts upward and away from the ground.
Boom Supersonic, a company pioneering supersonic passenger aircraft, announced a groundbreaking achievement: their planes can fly at supersonic speeds without generating an audible sonic boom. This feat was accomplished during a test flight of their XB-1 aircraft late last month.
The company highlighted in a press release on Monday that specialized microphone arrays strategically positioned under the flight path confirmed the absence of sonic booms reaching the ground as the XB-1 reached a top speed of Mach 1.12 during its historic first supersonic flight on January 28, 2025.This revolutionary capability stems from the concept of 'Mach cutoff,' explained Boom Supersonic's founder and CEO Blake Scholl. Scholl illustrated on X (formerly Twitter) that when an aircraft breaks the sound barrier at a sufficiently high altitude, the sonic boom refracts in the atmosphere, curving upward and away from the ground before anyone can hear it. Just as light bends passing through water, sound waves bend as they travel through media with varying sound speeds. Since the speed of sound varies with temperature, and temperature changes with altitude, sonic booms bend upward in colder air aloft. Scholl emphasized that this means sonic booms can effectively make a U-turn in the atmosphere, never reaching the ground. The exact height of this 'U-turn' depends on various factors like aircraft speed, atmospheric temperature gradient, and wind conditions. While this concept is well-established physics, implementing it requires advanced technology not available during the Concorde era. Scholl suggested that speeds as high as Mach 1.3 could potentially achieve this, though the operational speed for Boomless Cruise, their sonic-boom-free flight service, will typically range between Mach 1.1 and Mach 1.2. Although supersonic flight over land is currently prohibited in the United States due to noise regulations, Scholl expressed optimism that this could change. He believes that the President has the power to issue an executive order allowing supersonic flight over land as long as it remains silent to those on the ground. While the prospect of significantly reduced travel times is appealing, passengers will have to wait a while longer. Boom Supersonic is currently in the process of developing its Overture passenger aircraft. The first Overture is expected to be built in North Carolina in about 18 months, with the initial aircraft rolling off the production line in three years. The company aims to have Overture available for commercial passenger flights by the end of 2029.With a pre-order book of 130 aircraft, including commitments from major airlines like American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines, Boom Supersonic is making significant strides in the aviation industry. They are also collaborating with Northrop Grumman to explore potential government and defense applications for Overture. The company's XB-1 aircraft is currently conducting its second supersonic test flight, furthering their advancements in quiet supersonic technology
SUPERSONIC FLIGHT BOOM SUPERSONIC XB-1 MACH CUTOFF SONIC BOOM OVERTURE AVIATION TECHNOLOGY
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