Written by The United States is moving closer to bringing back civilian supersonic passenger flights over the continental US, with the Department of Transportation announcing a regulatory overhaul that could end a ban that has remained in place since the 1970s. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday proposed new certification standards for supersonic aircraft, marking a significant step towards allowing commercial aircraft to fly faster than the speed of sound over land. The FAA’s proposal introduces a noise-based certification standard for supersonic aircraft while signalling that additional regulations covering take-off and landing noise will be introduced later this year. Together, the two rules are intended to provide aircraft manufacturers with a clear regulatory pathway to complete the design, certification and eventual commercial deployment of next-generation supersonic passenger aircraft.
The FAA expects to finalise both rules by mid-2027. Trump Administration Pushes ‘Golden Age Of Travel’ US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the initiative as part of a broader effort to modernise American aviation under President Donald Trump’s administration. “Restoring supersonic flight over land isn’t just about speed, it’s about unleashing American innovation and ushering in a Golden Age of Travel,” Duffy said. He added that the administration was working rapidly to safely introduce the next generation of aviation technology for commercial travellers. Why Supersonic Flights Were Banned Civilian aircraft have been prohibited from flying above Mach 1 over land in the United States for more than five decades because of the disruptive effects of sonic booms. When an aircraft exceeds the speed of sound—roughly 770 mph (1,239 km/h)—it generates shockwaves that can produce loud booms capable of disturbing communities and, in some cases, damaging buildings or breaking windows. Conventional commercial airliners typically cruise at speeds between 550 and 600 mph, making supersonic aircraft significantly faster and capable of substantially reducing journey times.
New Technology Could Solve Sonic Boom Problem The FAA said recent advances in aerospace engineering have made quieter supersonic travel increasingly feasible. A key innovation is “Mach cutoff,” a flight technique that combines aircraft design, altitude, atmospheric conditions and speed so that sonic shockwaves refract upward into the atmosphere instead of reaching the ground. According to regulators, this significantly reduces the impact of sonic booms on communities beneath flight paths. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said modern aerospace technology could effectively eliminate the problem that originally prompted the ban. The move aims to pave the way for next-generation commercial aircraft capable of dramatically reducing travel times by using advanced technologies designed to minimise disruptive sonic booms. “Advances in aerospace engineering, materials science, noise reduction, and new operational concepts will eliminate the old sonic boom.”
He added that these developments could eventually allow the repeal of the longstanding prohibition on overland supersonic flights while protecting communities from excessive noise. International Supersonic Travel Also In Focus While the proposed rules initially focus on domestic operations, US regulators are also working with international aviation authorities to develop common certification standards for global supersonic travel. The effort follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump directing the FAA to strengthen aviation safety agreements with foreign regulators to support the future international operation of supersonic aircraft. The move revives hopes for a new era of commercial supersonic aviation more than two decades after the retirement of the iconic Concorde in 2003.
Unlike previous generations of supersonic aircraft, future designs are expected to rely on quieter propulsion systems, advanced materials and innovative flight profiles to minimise environmental and noise impacts while dramatically shortening long-haul travel times. If the regulatory process stays on schedule, the United States could become one of the first countries to reopen its skies to routine overland supersonic passenger travel. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News and around the World.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11
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