U.S. FAA moves to lift ban on supersonic overland flights

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a draft rule that would replace the 1973 speed‑based prohibition on civilian supersonic flight over land with a noise‑based standard. The agency aims to finalize the new regulations by mid‑2027, effectively reopening the United States to faster‑than‑sound commercial travel.

The proposal revisits a controversial 1964 test in Oklahoma City, where 1,253 military sonic booms were generated to gauge public reaction. That test helped lead to the 1973 ban and the cancellation of Boeing’s 2707 supersonic project in 1971, leaving only Europe’s Concorde and the Soviet Tupolev Tu‑144 as the two passenger supersonic aircraft that ever flew. While the ban is set to be repealed, the industry still faces the challenge of mitigating the loud shock‑wave that can startle people and damage windows.

Experts such as Juan Alonso, a professor of aeronautics at Stanford University, view the rule change as a long‑awaited step, noting that NASA and U.S. industry have been pushing toward quieter supersonic designs for decades.