XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video]

Re:XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video] by 16bytes on Tuesday January 28, 2025 @12:56PM (#42855579)

They're betting that they can make supersonic travel sustainable and profitable with a new aircraft and engine design. The Concord wasn't either of those.

The business case is apparently solid enough that several airlines are partnering with them during development.

This is the first actual demonstration that they can achieve supersonic flight in their demonstrator aircraft, so it is a significant milestone but they are years away from their full-scale aircraft.

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Re:XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video] by bluescrn on Tuesday January 28, 2025 @02:43PM (#42856974)

I suspect it'll only ever be a toy for billionaires.

For the rest of us, isn't air travel supposed to be something we're giving up/ramping down due to climate change?

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Re:XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video] by MBCook on Tuesday January 28, 2025 @03:29PM (#42857539)

What if this ends up being more efficient for long flights over oceans due to the ability to fly in thinner air?

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Re:XB-1 First Supersonic Flight [video] by mmustapic on Tuesday January 28, 2025 @03:47PM (#42857757)

Probably not, and for sure the company is not expecting to be more efficient than subsonic.

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