Supersonic 'Son of Concorde' jet that could fly London to NYC in under 4 hours smashes key speed test

Several aerospace manufacturers are competing to make the archetypal supersonic pitchy since the British Concorde, which was retired successful 2003 owed to concerns implicit its disbursal and the sonic booms it created

A supersonic jet plane that could slash formation times successful fractional has reached grounds speeds successful its latest trial flight.

Boom Technology's XB-1 plane was performing the seventh of its 10 subsonic trial flights connected Tuesday erstwhile it deed the caller apical speed. Engineers are successful the process of tinkering with the awesome aircraft, nicknamed the 'son of Concorde', to marque it supersonic.

It reached a accelerated Mach 0.81, dwarfing the Mach 0.67 it achieved connected the formation before, with the aircraft besides reaching a caller maximum altitude of 23,015ft. This was 3,000ft much than the erstwhile test.

Boom Technology wrote successful its trial formation update: "XB-1 reached a caller apical altitude of 23,015 feet, allowing the squad to execute a last cockpit pressurization trial astatine maximum unit differential, ensuring that it is harmless to proceed up to 30,000 feet – the altitude XB-1 volition alert erstwhile it reaches supersonic speeds."

The engineers person the task of pushing the craft until it reaches the velocity of sound, Mach 1. From take-off to landing, the formation - which was piloted by Tristan “Geppetto” Brandenburg - lasted astir 55 minutes.

Boom has not yet revealed the day of formation fig eight, but it could hap successful arsenic small arsenic 2 weeks' time. The institution performed trial flights wrong a akin timeframe successful September and October.

The aviation steadfast is 1 of galore competing to physique the successor to the British supersonic jet, which is known successful the manufacture arsenic the "Son of Concorde". The aircrafts were banned successful the UK successful 2003 owed to the supersonic roar it created, and owed to however costly it was to run - which made it inaccessible for astir customers.

The UK's aerospace watchdog has said it volition reappraisal the prohibition aft respective manufacturers, including NASA and Lockheed Martin, announced they are processing caller models.