A new, Richard Branson-backed supersonic passenger plane is set to make its first test flight this year.

Boom Supersonic's jets promise a speed of 2716km/h - more than 500km/h faster than the retired Concorde.

At that speed - not including take-off and landing times - flights out of Auckland would reach Wellington in 14 minutes, Sydney in 48 minutes, Los Angeles in just under four hours and London, non-stop, in six hours and 45 minutes.

Boom CEO Blake Scholl this week announced a "milestone" engine delivery for its two-seater XB-1 model.