‘Son of Concorde’ goes supersonic for first time paving way toward 3.5 hour London-NYC flights

THE 'Son of Concorde' XB-1 jet has successfully reached supersonic speeds today, breaking the sound barrier for the first time.
The milestone makes the XB-1 the first US-built civil jet to reach supersonic speeds, according to bosses at Colorado-based Boom Technology.
The supersonic flight was helmed by chief test pilot Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg, who has flown all other XB-1 test flights.
An aircraft can be deemed supersonic when it tops Mach 1, or 768mph.
The XB-1 jet reached Mach 1.1, about 844mph, three times during its latest test flight.
Such speeds could cut the journey from San Diego to Los Angeles to just 10 minutes, according to former chief Concorde pilot at British Airways, Mike Bannister, who was on the ground to witness the inaugural supersonic flight.
Read more:
www.thesun.co....
The Sun delivers breaking news, latest gossip and incredible exclusives around the world with hubs in London, New York, Scotland and Ireland.
Covering topics from news, money and sport along with our famous Fabulous Magazine, The Sun is the biggest news brand in the UK and one of the fastest growing news sites in the US.
Stay tuned for video clips across the biggest news stories and segments from The Sun’s expert journalists.
Become a Sun Subscriber and hit the bell to be the first to know.
Read The Sun: www.thesun.co....
Like The Sun on Facebook: / thesun
Follow The Sun on X: / thesun
Follow The Sun on TikTok: / thesun
Subscribe to The Sun on Snapchat: / 1633225139
#plane #concorde #supersonic

[@presenttruthpioneersministry]

The Concorde was second to none

[@bosoerjadi2838]

The achievement goal is not going supersonic, but to do it without a (huge) sonic boom (i.e. to allow flying at normal traffic altitudes with the smallest ground footprint possible) and as fuel efficient as a subsonic aircraft. The main drawbacks of Concorde were the deafening noise at take off and landing, the damagingly powerful sonic boom and the guzzling fuel consumption. Any next-gen supersonic civil aircraft will have to adress those issues if such an aircraft would want to make supersonic passenger trips economically viable.

[@m1leswilliams]

I lived near Heathrow, there was no sonic boom on takeoff and landing.

[@bosoerjadi2838]

@m1leswilliams I never claimed that?

[@GilmerJohn]

The Concorde was economically "viable" in its last years. It wasn't a superstar or they would have built several more but it did well. The accident made everyone take a hard 2nd look at the safety problems. (A similar 'review" happened when the space shuttle exploded.) It would have taken too much money to modify it to be reasonably safe so the bean counters sunk it.

[@YSKWatch]

this prototype is the answer of chinese prototype flown last year, the difference is the chinese's flew at mach 6.

[@chipbug]

This is just like a single seat fighter jet. While it is still a great achievement, scaling it up to a passenger size supersonic jet is not a trivial exercise.

[@dmr6640]

Well done. Wishing all the success in the world.

[@andyguyuk1]

But the Uk and French did this but bigger many decades ago which had a perfect record till that horrible event which put people off completely and the cost went threw the roof

[@clintonreisig]

This one is 💯% privately made. That is why we are back into supersonic flight for civilians (Socialism is loaded with corruption and waste)

[@centurymemes1208]

Not sure about xb1 but the x59 goal is to less the sonic boom hence the test. If they can solve that, concern eras could return with a quiet boom.

[@SA-bg6kr]

Should have had runway inspections on every concord departure. Should still be in service. RIP to the concord consumer pioneers. We'll always have Frank Whittle regardless of who makes supersonic flight. Shoulders of giants.

[@DAViDD767]

Nah, they were losing money way before the accident and been planned to end it, but since it got into an accident, they used this to ended it.

[@GilmerJohn]

@SA-bg6kr -- I suspect that would have keep the fatal accident from happening again but in the process of reviewing that accident they found other things that were "marginal." Considering the sunk costs, the old fleet was economically viable. But improvements to "fix" the other problems didn't make economic sense and the bean counters pulled the plug.

[@JoeyBlogs007]

It looks a little unstable on take off and landing. I hope they sort that out. Can't help get the feeling that the wingspan is too small, which could make it extremely difficult to control at low speed. Once scaled up perhaps it will behave in a more stable way.

[@gigaboat]

As a passenger on the Concorde we flew higher faster, and for longer than any military aircraft ever. Edit; without refueling ✌

[@tyrannus_tyrannus]

Uh, ever hear of the SR71?

[@DAViDD767]

​@tyrranus_tyrranus of course not😂😂😂

[@GilmerJohn]

@@tyrannus_tyrannus -- The blackbird was an adventure each flight. The Concord almost was boring routine.

[@gigaboat]

@ I forgot to say "without refueling" Ha ha

[@gigaboat]

@ How many times were you on the blackbird adventure man?

[@Joshua-lg3th]

This is such a slap in the face for the uk and the french calling it the son of the concord as we would’ve been flying in sub sonic airline jets way before but at the time people complained it was to noisy

[@Shipspotting_Vietnam]

Wonderful Engineering Marvel!

[@telkirton]

Looks great in the air.

[@jacobreisser8034]

Where's the rest of it? It's tiny. 😊 🇬🇧

[@thecameramantraveler4830]

the project is still in testing and development, so this model is a test plane. wait till you see the whole thing come out and fly

[@AaRr-bn3xx]

It needs to be drastically upscaled... Even Concorde with 100 passengers was considered too small...

[@DerekWalsh-l4i]

They haven't actually achieved anything exceptional. The aircraft is barely bigger than the Mirage shadowing it, and there is one person on board . It certainly doesn't prove that an identical aircraft 30 times bigger will be able to do what this one can do.

[@m1leswilliams]

@@thecameramantraveler4830 This is hardly news then, it's a test place going supersonic, that has nothing to do with the passenger plane.

[@SeanCampbell-so8gm]

Need mac6 + that is like a jet fighter but 🐌 slower and smaller

[@thediamondprincechristian]

Anythings better than a helicopter, every time I see a rich person ride a helicopter I think about how brave and stupid they are. 😂

[@drew65sep]

It has nothing to do with the former, but everything to do with the latter...jus sayin.

[@thediamondprincechristian]

@ Why even bother to talk when you decided to be a no count?

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

Too put it another way if the helicopter was invented now it would never be approved for commercial flight. There's a reason why you don't see civilian versions of tilt rotors. Too dangerous.

[@Geoff-m7j]

@@TheMrPeteChannelhow do you know?

[@michaelopere5424]

🤣🤣🤣

[@bgreen2266]

It's a test bed to gather data. On various fuselage & engine options to alleviate major negatives of 1st generation SST's 0:10

[@OLCarmel]

Congratulations 🎉❤

[@creekhouse4618]

Great job!!

[@MichaelElias-q2z]

XB1 looks like the old Convair B-58 Hustler.

[@AaRr-bn3xx]

Nothing like it !! The Hustler had four pods under its wings...

[@footix72]

The chase plane is a french-built Mirage F1B.

[@Sam7987]

About time!! Great 👍

[@doomybear7389]

we have fighter planes the same size and they can go supersonic, and I wish people would stop using the phrase "Son of Concorde" it's will never be in the same league, I know that because I grew up with Concorde flying around my head in Bristol.

[@billweaver6092]

It’s the Sun - what do you expect, accuracy?😊

[@DAViDD767]

Calm down😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@paulporteous4190]

Aye won’t be in the same league because it won’t be smashing windows and will be able to fly over land! It will be far superior

[@michaelmiklosofficial]

Super power!

[@guybrennan5801]

How are they going to upscale the size of the aircraft so more people can fly on it at a time?

[@sham8444]

Basically it will just be a concorde with a few extras

[@GiveMeSpaceTravel-bg8td]

Son of Concorde! It has no relationship with Concorde. Try Concorde wannabe at the best. They are doing all this work to replicate Concorde technology without addressing the issues that limited the success of Concorde.

[@slotsandmoreslots]

So how would it take to fly from NYC to Moscow

[@kevinmorthorst521]

How long till there ready for the public.

[@davinci234]

SO SMALL ! >>>>>>> CONCORD WAS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT ANIMAL!!

[@mroctober3657]

Does it fit more than one?

[@lukeamato423]

@@mroctober3657 no

[@stanpikaliri1621]

It can fit a whole US population. 🤗

[@a_thing_overtheneck6263]

Yes, the version one then need a large scale for passengers to generate income.

[@GaryAnnis-i2j]

🎉SUPER ❤

[@jennyedwards4999]

This brings me back memories when I used to depart the original Concorde from Terminal 4 Heathrow. I watched all the Concordes arriving at Heathrow on their final arrival flight. ✈️

[@ReinaldoCardona-i6t]

Wow. Nice!!😊❤

[@brianboeing9799]

Whats cost per plane

[@AlfaPrice-kr2rp]

WHY IT DID NOT GO FOR MACH 2

[@PJD_55]

And Concorde did this 40 years ago.

[@TheMrPeteChannel]

Didn't Burt Rutan already go supersonic before? He was private too.

[@flightsimdev]

They make the speed of sound such a high speed, commercial aircraft go to 77% of the speed of sound daily, 30% more isn't that hard, double it then were talking concord. If it can't carry 200+ people, airlines won't buy it.

[@stanpikaliri1621]

Don't forget ejection seats for passengers. 👀

[@indrekkpringi]

Civil aircraft?? How many passengers can it hold?? Until they build one that can hold 300 passengers; this is total BS.

[@Delhi_Guy]

This is scaled down version of the commercial aircraft they are planning to build.

[@indrekkpringi]

@@Delhi_Guy Right: So are model airplanes. Go talk to an aeronautics engineers before you show us how ignorant you are.

[@ChrisFrancis-o3h]

This has already been done and was in commercial operation, hardly clever building a smaller one, 40 years odd later

[@1ndragunawan]

​@@indrekkpringi wow, you're the ignorant one here. This scaled down aircraft accommodates a single pilot, and it's not a model aircraft. Even the company Boom Supersonic itself uses the word scale to describe this aircraft.

[@woof3065]

@@Delhi_Guy yes they will call it concorde2.... or maybe Titanic hasn't been decided yet

[@FrankMichaud-x4v]

😂 What about the Avro Arrow,first supersonic 60 years ago😮.

[@tonyfranks9551]

But...will you be able (allowed) to enjoy a brandy and a cigar....as on Concorde?

[@RAFASOP]

Looks a bit like TSR2 on take-off

[@AaRr-bn3xx]

Hope it doesn't end up like the TSR2 !!

[@benjaminjoel5108]

Great news ! Another first in the history of aviation !

[@nikolaucznaum4312]

Only in US history, the UK, and France 55 years ago do you remember??.....

[@lastChang]

*"China has stolen and hacked their way into a global superpower status, at our expense,"* Marco Rubio at Senate confirmation hearing.

[@Descarte_rené]

It's a very small "Concorde" ...

[@pahrumpianrockets7301]

Nice

[@danielfisher6501]

For the supper rich. Bet a seat on the plane is 2 grand

[@rogercohn]

Mini plane. How about the real size one?

[@drew65sep]

Why? Why build such a thing knowing that the cost for a seat on the Concorde was the biggest reason for it's failure? I hate to play devil's advocate, but I kinda doubt that tickets will any more affordable. But, passenger capacity in this new folly looks very small, even with this flying prototype being a scaled down version. Perhaps, they should wait till it grows up...or just bring back the Valkyrie and put seats in it instead of nuclear bombs. There's also always the surplus B1-B's when the Air Force retires em. Passenger seating in the "Bone" would be badass...especially in "map of the earth" mode. A person could do the Mach Loop and Grand Canyon on the same flight...with a couple of in-flight refuelings.

[@ЮрийГригорьев-ь8х]

It's probably going to be a business jet. Rich people can afford that extra cost.

[@kiabtoomlauj6249]

If the Concord was built today, it likely would have survived, because back then, there weren't a class of THOUSANDS of millionaires and billionaires like today. Back then, the entire world probably had no more than a few hundred millionaires and a few dozen billionaires. Today, rap gangsters & KZbinrs boast hundreds of millionaires and a few dozen billionaires... on just ads & fashion show revenues attached to mindless rap noises and mindless KZbin videos... kind of like what car companies like Porsche used to be: toys for a few very rich guys. But Porsche survived long enough to become a very big & successful actual motor technology company these days, building trucks, normal (but high tech) sedans, divisions in the US, in addition to its original core/Formula One racing...

[@Warmenlt]

1st, you did not watch the video or at least did not pay attention. This is tiny test model , mission is to scale it up. 2nd. He clearly said that idea is to make it mainstream unlike concord, how they will do it, its a different subject. 3rd. He clearly said that they won't stop until everyone benefits from it which would mean not just the rich, again, how that will be done is unclear and its a different subject. With this being said, I see nothing wrong in innovating , researching , building and trying. That is what USA was all about. I hope they succeed, there is literally no reason for me or anyone to sit here and try to speculate the ways it will fail. If it fails, it fails.

[@KennyMcDermott-m8q]

Us Brits and The French did this even bigger and better ,,😂😂😂but still a nice plane

[@Ethan-burner-acc]

Still not official 1.2M for actual ‘Mach’ (600-1.2M)

[@samward7921]

It's official at the altitude it was flying. You're probably thinking of sea level calculations 😅

[@samward7921]

You think they would celebrate this hard for an unofficial supersonic milestone?

[@Ethan-burner-acc]

@ some parts of the plane are supersonic, but not all, that’s at about M1.2

[@allanwilson8161]

America welcome to the club 46 years late !

[@Peter-y5y9i]

My question: why on earth would anyone want to to London nowadays?

[@clive363]

More like a fighter jet

[@outlawbillionairez9780]

They promise 50 % less falling out of the sky.

[@TetraDizzle]

Lol the wobble on takeoff, that thing is so unstable in the air just so it can hit mach 1.... Horrible to compare this to the one and only.

[@utkrishtsingh8334]

This aeroplane is highly unstable it cannot sustain a flight after engine failure because it showed swing while taking off

[@tubalcain1039]

Make it a 10 minute flight, not 2-3 hours.

[@purplesprigs]

...in 20 years.

[@timmyvolta1592]

Yeah super taxi for the super rich, so great... how much fuel does it used for that flight? How much Co2 does it created compared to an 737?

[@lansfordspencer8583]

Still no concord tho

[@bman1990]

We are going backwards as a species

[@lukeamato423]

Doesnt look very stable,on takeoff

[@outlawbillionairez9780]

Take off crashes will be almost instantaneous, so you'll hardly notice them.

[@Oligodendrocyte139]

Wouldn't fancy it in a crosswind.

[@jorgipogi]

Too loud. It’s just another concord.

[@markbarnes2041]

It's not an airliner all kinds of planes go super sonic this is just a waste of money

[@1ndragunawan]

Every single airliner in the world is currently subsonic, Concorde and Tu-144 were the only supersonic airliners.

[@annoyedok321]

The world keeps getting smaller for the rich and larger for the poor.

[@clintonreisig]

Decades overdue because of Socialism holding us back

[@stevemarks9360]

What an idiot, it was socialism that built concorde more than 50 years ago. It is socialism that paid for your schooling, the roads you travel on, public libraries etc!

[@HuskyFalsetto]

Russian jet fighter lowest mach 3.0❤ su 57 mach 5.0👈

[@jackrussell7190]

Finally a new toy for the rich who don't know what to do with their money…

[@Dr.Diddler-t9f]

She? is this discrimination?

[@scottwilson6467]

Son of Concorde lmao - What a cheeseball lame term haha!

[@rolacook222]

Ridiculous expensive nonsense that taxpayers (somewhere) will be footing the bill for? 500 mph isn’t fast enough for passenger travel? Utter nonsensical thinking……NEXT!

[@Ikachase]

Its not even a prototype, they are just testing a fighter jet...... This pure stupidity.... And Americans are proud of it and celebrating it like they have accomplish something new....

[@RovingPunster]

FAIL. This story COMPLETELY MISSED THE POINT that this prototype was specifically designed to address. The goal was NOT just to reach supersonic speed (which the X1 did way back in the early 1950's) ... but to do so with a GREATLY REDUCED SONIC BOOM. That is why it is called the "low boom demonstrator" and not "son of concorde". Duh. A pretty incompent goof in writing. Is yer science desk on vacation, and being covered by the bubbleheads in social media instead ? -1 👎

[@glennbellamy7004]

Son of Concorde ? Nah Uk built the bettter plane in the 1960's Concorde !! So much hype ? US campaigned against Concorde but now built a plane the same. Updated Concorde would have been best idea .

[@JeTseTJaMiZon]

Son of Supersonic rwferred To as "She"? InTeresTing

[@skyedog24]

Why are you building an airplane When you're not even taking care of the people in your country. You have been overrun. You must take care of your people ⚔️😢