Boom supersonic jet set for 2021 take off

Over 50 years after Concorde first took to the skies, a brand new supersonic jet is preparing for lift off. Denver based start-up Boom Supersonic has announced it will roll out XB-1, a 1:3 scale prototype of its upcoming supersonic commercial jet Overture, on October 7, with test flights beginning in 2021. The move will help to pave the way for the first commercial supersonic flights since the legendary delta-wing passenger airliner made its last flight in 2003. "XB-1 is the first step in bringing supersonic travel back to the world," said Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic. "Flights at twice the speed mean we can travel twice as far -- bringing more people, places, and cultures into our lives." According to Boom, the purpose of XB-1 is to to demonstrate and prove the "key technologies" for Overture, such as advanced carbon fiber composite construction and computer-optimized high-efficiency aerodynamics. The company has also released images of the experimental aircraft, described as "history's fastest privately developed aircraft," in the hangar, including the completion of its wing installation. The results of the XB-1 test program, which claims to be 100% carbon neutral, will allow the company to fine tune the design for supersonic airliner Overture.<br/>