Supersonic passenger travel could be on the cusp of a comeback in the United States, more than five decades after the country effectively shut the door on faster-than-sound commercial flights over land.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has proposed replacing the speed-based restriction introduced in 1973 with a performance-based framework focused on the impact of sonic booms. The existing rules generally prohibit civil aircraft from flying faster than Mach 1 over the US without special authorisation.
Under the proposed framework, supersonic aircraft would be allowed to fly over land if operators can demonstrate that sonic-boom overpressure at the surface does not exceed 0.11 pounds per square foot. The FAA says advances in aircraft technology and flight techniques can now prevent disruptive sonic booms from reaching people on the ground.
What Are Supersonic Passenger Flights?
Supersonic aircraft fly faster than the speed of sound, or Mach 1 — roughly 1,235 kmph, depending on atmospheric conditions. Such aircraft could potentially slash travel times on some routes by up to half.
The biggest hurdle has long been the sonic boom: the loud, thunder-like sound created when shock waves from an aircraft travelling faster than sound reach the ground. Concerns over these booms led the US to introduce its overland restrictions in 1973.
The FAA's proposal could give a major boost to companies developing a new generation of supersonic aircraft. The regulator cited a February 2025 demonstration by Boom Supersonic of a flight technique designed to keep sonic booms from reaching the surface.
The proposal is now open for public consultation, while the FAA has been directed to finalise noise certification standards by June 2027.
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