FAA proposes lifting 53-year ban on supersonic flights over US land
The FAA has proposed a rule to dismantle a 1973 ban on non-military aircraft flying faster than sound over US land, following a 2025 executive order from President Trump directing the agency to repeal the overland supersonic flight prohibition and establish interim noise-based certification standards. The proposed change is slated for mid-2027, with a follow-up noise standards rule planned for later this year. Key technology cited includes 'Mach cutoff' flight profiles where shock waves bend upward before reaching the ground. Boom Supersonic, backed by United, American, and Japan Airlines, is developing a 60-80 seat jet capable of Mach 1+ without a ground-level boom, while NASA tests its X-59 at Mach 1.4 — making this a pivotal regulatory shift for the commercial supersonic aviation industry.
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