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Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 flight test program marks a watershed moment in aviation. As the first independently developed civilian supersonic jet in the U.S., the XB-1 prototype not only demonstrates technical prowess but also sets the stage for the company’s long-term vision: Overture, a commercially viable supersonic airliner. In this detailed walkthrough—featuring cockpit simulations, technical deep-dives, and real flight footage—Munro & Associates unpacks the engineering behind this bold step into the future of flight.
A Supersonic Vision Takes Shape
Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic, doesn’t come from an aerospace background. In fact, he’s a former Amazon software engineer who simply wanted to fly faster. His journey began with a Google Alert on “supersonic jet” and turned into a decade-long effort by a lean team of 50 engineers. The result? XB-1—the sleek, one-third-scale prototype of what will become Boom’s flagship airliner: Overture.
Much like Tesla’s Roadster paved the way for mass-market EVs, XB-1 is Boom’s proof-of-concept. It’s not just a fast jet—it’s a testbed for supersonic technologies using airliner-grade systems. That includes composite structures, camera-based visibility solutions, and simulation-driven aerodynamics.
Flight Test and Cockpit Simulation
Munro’s team joined Boom’s chief test pilot, a former F-18 Super Hornet and adversary pilot, for a simulator walkthrough and demonstration. The cockpit is built with fighter-style ergonomics: a center stick, left-hand throttles, and maximized visibility through dual camera feeds. With visibility at a premium due to XB-1’s sharp supersonic profile, pilots rely on redundant camera systems to land—paving the way for Overture’s fully camera-assisted cockpit.
In the simulator, the pilot demonstrates how the aircraft reaches Mach 1.1 at 34,000 feet under FAA-approved test airspace. Notably, XB-1 achieves level supersonic flight without relying on a dive, proving sustained performance rather than just momentary speed.
Supersonic Design: Dual-Mode Aerodynamics
Supersonic aircraft require contradictory design features. High-speed flight demands slim profiles and short wings, while takeoff and landing benefit from broad wings and greater stability. Boom solves this conundrum through careful nose shaping and delta-wing vortex lift. The team iterated the design repeatedly to balance stability and performance.
Carbon fiber composites allow for precise aerodynamic shapes and lightweight strength. The cockpit is devoid of traditional glass—a necessity at such speeds. Instead, augmented reality feeds camera inputs to cockpit screens, enabling safe landings even without direct visual contact. Boom’s approach signals a future for camera-based systems in aviation, echoing regulatory frustrations in the automotive world, where even mirror-less cars face red tape.
Why Vertical Integration Matters
One of Boom’s biggest insights came from its outsourcing experiments. Systems like the flutter excitation module, outsourced early in development, proved costly and unreliable—forcing the in-house team to fix them anyway. The takeaway? If it’s custom, build it yourself.
This mirrors trends seen across industries, including Rivian’s switch to vertical integration that cut 1.7 miles of wiring by reducing control modules from 17 to 7. Boom took note and committed to designing its own Symphony engine—a medium-bypass turbofan with no afterburner. Quiet at takeoff, yet capable of Mach 1.7 cruise, Symphony marks Boom’s defiance of conventional aerospace dependency.
XB-1 Power and Range
The XB-1 uses three J85-15 turbojets—fighter engines from Canadian F-5s. With an estimated range of 460 miles, XB-1 isn’t about distance, but demonstration. The real story lies ahead with Overture, targeting over 4,000 nautical miles. Imagine Tokyo to Seattle in 4.5 hours. That’s not science fiction—it’s Boom’s roadmap.
Crucially, Overture skips the afterburner entirely. Unlike Concorde, it leans on digital controls, advanced aerodynamics, and optimized power-to-drag ratios. By building Symphony in-house, Boom ensures every design choice supports supersonic efficiency—vertically and horizontally integrated.
Landing Gear and Systems Integration
Engineering XB-1’s landing gear proved surprisingly difficult. A 200,000-pound load tolerance required high-performance alloys like Aermet 100 steel and solid titanium shock absorbers. The team’s second iteration cut the part count in half, simplifying systems without sacrificing strength.
Every system—fuel, hydraulics, electrical—feeds into XB-1’s streamlined chassis. Fuel transfer is fully automated to manage center-of-gravity shifts at speed. There’s no ram-air turbine; instead, dual redundant hydraulic and DC systems keep everything functional under pressure.
Aerodynamics and Air Inlets
One of the hardest design challenges? The inlet. Supersonic air must be slowed before it enters the subsonic jet engines. This requires a shockwave-managed “supersonic to subsonic converter” at the front and a subsonic-to-supersonic nozzle at the rear.
Boom’s inlet underwent multiple design iterations. They even added auxiliary “sucking doors” to help the engines breathe at low speeds. The result: efficient flow at Mach 1.7 with minimized drag.
Boundary Layers and Material Strategy
A critical factor in supersonic flight is boundary layer management—the cushion of air that clings to aircraft surfaces. Boom incorporates diverters to ensure clean intake air and uses boundary-layer physics to its advantage, allowing fasteners and panel design to ignore traditional aerodynamic penalties.
The use of titanium in engine shrouding and carbon fiber throughout the fuselage reflects lessons learned from the 787 and military aircraft. The design point of Mach 1.7 means Boom can reuse proven material systems—avoiding the exotic cost escalations that plagued Concorde.
Defense Interest and Future Use Cases
While Boom is civilian-first, the military is watching closely. Supersonic troop transport, rapid medevac, or high-speed VIP delivery could revolutionize operational timelines. For applications where “time is everything,” Overture could change the game—getting critical personnel on-site in half the time.
With 140 employees and 80% in technical roles, Boom shows that small, focused teams can do what the giants fear to try. Their journey reflects the best of lean design, vertical integration, and calculated innovation.
Conclusion: Time to Reclaim the Skies
Boom’s XB-1 isn’t just an aircraft—it’s a symbol of what’s possible when bold vision meets hands-on engineering. From cockpit simulation to supersonic test flights, this lean team has pushed past regulation, risk aversion, and convention to reclaim speed in civil aviation.
As Overture takes shape, it promises to change how we think about distance, time, and opportunity in flight. Follow Munro & Associates for continued insights into groundbreaking aerospace, EV, and manufacturing innovations.
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