What Happened
Regulatory Shift Could Enable Overland Supersonic Travel
The FAA has proposed a new rule that would replace the ban on civil supersonic flight over the US with an interim noise standard. This standard would allow flights above Mach 1 in operating conditions that avoid sonic booms reaching the surface. The proposal, issued on June 30, is a significant development in the regulation of supersonic flight and could have implications for the aerospace industry. According to Aviation Week, the proposed rule is part of the FAA’s efforts to update its regulations and enable the development of new supersonic aircraft.