FAA Proposes New Rule for Supersonic Flights Over US Cities

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a new rule that would lift the long-standing ban on commercial supersonic flights over the United States, provided that these aircraft can minimize the impact of sonic booms at ground level. The original ban, established in 1973, followed military tests of supersonic flights over cities in the 1960s. The proposed rule, which is set to take effect on June 30, 2026, would introduce a 'noise-based' certification standard that limits sonic boom overpressure at the surface to below 0.11 pounds per square foot. This standard is influenced by the Colorado-based startup Boom Supersonic, which has successfully demonstrated quieter supersonic flights with its XB-1 aircraft by utilizing specific atmospheric conditions.