BOOM’S NOT BUST: The ‘Son of Concorde’ has completed a supersonic test flight.

The article focuses on Boom Supersonic's XB-1, a prototype aircraft that completed a piloted supersonic test flight at Mach 1.122, marking a significant step toward the return of commercial supersonic travel. The XB-1, also called Baby Boom, serves as a demonstrator for the larger Overture aircraft, which aims to carry up to 80 passengers and reduce transatlantic flight times, such as London to New York, to about three and a half hours. Key innovations include carbon fiber composites, digital stability augmentation, and an augmented reality vision system, designed to improve safety and pilot visibility without a moveable nose. Boom has secured 130 orders from airlines including United, American, and Japan Airlines, and plans to offer tickets at roughly one-quarter the price of Concorde fares. Other companies like Spike Aerospace and NASA are also developing supersonic or low-boom aircraft, but Boom currently leads the commercial supersonic flight effort.