First independently developed jet breaks sound barrier in California test flight
The XB-1 aircraft has become the first independently developed jet to break the sound barrier, reaching Mach 1.05 during a test flight over the Mojave Desert on Tuesday. This marks a significant milestone in aviation history. Boom Supersonic, the company behind the XB-1, aims to revive supersonic passenger travel, which ended with the Concorde's retirement over 20 years ago. The next focus will be on the Overture airliner, designed to carry up to 80 passengers. The XB-1, made mostly of lightweight carbon fiber, features an augmented reality system to assist pilots during landing. This flight occurred in the same area where Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947.