A supersonic jet built by Boom Technology broke the sound barrier for the first time Tuesday, advancing its bid to resurrect high-speed passenger flights.

Colorado-based Boom Supersonic plans to build the Overture airliner, which it says will carry as many as 80 passengers while moving at about twice the speed of today’s subsonic airliners.

About 35,000 feet (10,670 meters) over the Mojave Desert, northwest of Los Angeles, Boom Supersonic's XB-1 became the first privately funded airplane to break the sound barrier during a test flight on Tuesday.