The Federal Aviation Administration is moving to replace a 53-year-old blanket speed ban on supersonic flights over the continental US with noise-based rules.
This shift permits quieter supersonic aircraft to legally cross the country if they meet noise standards, removing a regulatory hurdle that previously made such planes economically unviable regardless of how quiet they could become.
What happened
The Federal Aviation Administration is planning to change a 53-year-old ban on supersonic flight over the continental US. Rather than restricting speed itself, the new approach would limit noise instead, opening the door for quieter supersonic aircraft to operate legally.
Why it matters
The current ban prevented even hypothetically quiet supersonic jets from flying transcontinental routes because it targeted speed, not sound. For aircraft makers developing quieter supersonic technology, the shift from a blanket speed ban to noise-based rules removes a regulatory barrier that had made such aircraft economically unviable.
What to watch
The original ban was motivated by sonic booms—Concorde's double-bang sound was as loud as thunder, and military supersonic jets shattered windows in the 1960s. The FAA's move reflects confidence that near-future quieter supersonic aircraft are realistic possibilities worth regulating differently.
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