The Department of Transportation announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is moving to allow civil supersonic flights over the United States.
A proposed rule on the matter sets noise standards for supersonic aircraft. “FAA has determined the general ban on civil supersonic flight is outdated and no longer appropriate due to advancements in technology, flight techniques that prevent sonic booms from reaching the surface, and increased interest in civil supersonic flight,” the document reads. “FAA proposes to repeal this outdated and unnecessary prohibition and establish a corresponding interim noise-based certification standard to allow supersonic flights without an operation-specific special authorization clearing the way for next-generation supersonic flight.”
A forthcoming rule will establish landing and takeoff noise standards. Both rules are expected to be finalized by mid-2027.
Restoring supersonic flight over land isn’t just about speed, it’s about unleashing American innovation and ushering in a Golden Age of Travel,” said Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, we are working at lightning speed to safely enable the next quantum leap in aviation technology and deliver an exciting new way to fly to the American flying public.”
“Advances in aerospace engineering, materials science, noise reduction, and new operational concepts will eliminate the old sonic boom,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement. “This means we can ultimately repeal the ban from the 1970s on supersonic flight over U.S. territory while minimizing noise impacts to residents in communities along the route and near airports.”
The action aligns with a June 2025 executive order urging the United States to lead the world in supersonic aviation.
In October, Lockheed Martin, in partnership with NASA, completed the first flight of the X-59, described as a “revolutionary, quiet supersonic aircraft designed to pave the way for faster commercial air travel.”
The X-59 is considered a “one-of-a-kind supersonic aircraft” that can fly at supersonic speeds while “reducing the sonic boom to a gentle thump,” Lockheed Martin explained. In doing so, the airframe overcomes “one of the primary barriers to supersonic commercial flight, which is currently restricted over land due to noise concerns.”
