Supersonic passenger jets just moved a step closer to streaking over the US again. The Federal Aviation Administration on Tuesday rolled out a proposed rule that would begin dismantling a 1973 ban on non-military aircraft flying faster than sound over land—restrictions put in place after sonic booms from test flights shattered windows and nerves alike, reports Gizmodo. The move comes in the wake of a 2025 executive order from President Trump directing the agency to "repeal the prohibition on overland supersonic flight … establish an interim noise-based-certification standard ... and remove additional regulatory barriers that hinder the advancement of supersonic aviation technology in the United States," per Forbes. The change is slated for the middle of next year.
The FAA says modern engineering and noise-reduction technology have changed the equation and plans a follow-up rule this year setting noise standards for takeoff and landing, giving manufacturers a target to design around. One key idea: "Mach cutoff," in which planes fly high enough that shock waves bend upward and never hit the ground. Boom Supersonic, backed by airlines including United, American, and Japan Airlines, is developing a 60- to 80-seat jet it says can go just over Mach 1 without producing a ground-level boom, while NASA is testing its X-59 research plane at Mach 1.4 to gauge community response. Even if the physics cooperate, money may be the bigger hurdle: the Concorde's last round-trip tickets ran the equivalent of more than $22,000 today.
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