FAA Proposes New Rules For Civil Supersonic Flight
By Amelia Walsh
The agency has launched rulemaking aimed at allowing next-generation supersonic aircraft to operate over land under new noise standards.
The FAA has begun developing rules that could allow civil supersonic aircraft to operate over the U.S. under a new noise-based certification framework.
In a June 30 announcement, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the agency is taking “a pivotal step” toward enabling supersonic operations over the continental U.S., arguing that advances in aircraft design could allow supersonic flight without the disruptive sonic boom that led to a decades-long ban over land.
The FAA said the proposed rule would establish a noise-based certification framework for supersonic aircraft. A second rule, expected later this year, would set takeoff and landing noise standards for the new class of high-speed aircraft.
Together, the actions are intended to give manufacturers clearer regulatory guidance as they work to develop next-generation supersonic designs. FAA officials said the goal is to support safe operations while minimizing noise impacts on communities near airports and along flight paths.
The FAA has long prohibited civil aircraft from exceeding Mach 1 over land, a restriction tied to concerns about noise from sonic booms. Current research programs, including NASA-led efforts and industry demonstrators, have focused on shaping aircraft designs and flight profiles intended to soften or redirect shockwaves.
Under the proposed framework, supersonic aircraft would be evaluated based on measurable noise thresholds rather than a blanket prohibition on breaking the sound barrier over land. The FAA said it is also coordinating with international regulators and industry stakeholders as it develops the new standards.
The agency aims to finalize both the certification and operational noise rules by mid-2027.
