© 2025 WFAE

Mailing Address:
WFAE 90.7
P.O. Box 896890
Charlotte, NC 28289-6890
Tax ID: 56-1803808
90.7 Charlotte 93.7 Southern Pines 90.3 Hickory 106.1 Laurinburg
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Boom Supersonic plane breaks sound barrier in milestone flight

Boom Supersonic filmed the XB-1 from a chase plane and provided flight data as part of its livestream Tuesday.
WFDD SCREEN CAPTURE
Boom Supersonic filmed the XB-1 from a chase plane and provided flight data as part of its livestream Tuesday.

Boom Supersonic passed a major milestone with its first experimental flight to reach Mach 1. The speed was achieved about 11 minutes into the test.

“There we are!" said Mike Bannister. "XB-1 is supersonic, faster than the speed of sound.”

Bannister, a former pilot of the Concorde supersonic plane, made the call as the experimental XB-1 broke the sound barrier. It was a key test for the company that plans to build high-speed planes in Greensboro.

Boom’s first supersonic flight took place over the Mojave Desert. The company live-streamed the mission from a chase plane.

XB-1 would ultimately reach Mach 1 three times. Then pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg brought it in for a landing.

The company will use information gathered during the flight to make decisions on the design and development of its supersonic planes.

Boom cut the ribbon on its manufacturing plant next to Piedmont Triad International Airport last June. It’s where the company plans to build its Overture line of commercial jets. Founder and CEO Blake Scholl said then that it would likely be three or four years before the first plane rolls out of the facility.