FAA Proposes Noise-Based Rules to End 53-Year Ban on Overland Supersonic Flights

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on June 30, 2026, issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) titled 'Enabling Supersonic Overland Flight' that would repeal the longstanding prohibition on civil supersonic flight over the United States and replace it with a performance-based noise standard.[1][2] Under the proposal, operators could fly faster than Mach 1 over land if they demonstrate—through FAA-approved methods—that sonic boom overpressure at the ground does not exceed 0.11 pounds per square foot (psf), a threshold designed to prevent audible booms from reaching communities.[3]

This marks a shift from the 1973 speed-based ban (14 CFR § 91.817) to a noise-focused framework, following President Donald Trump’s June 2025 executive order directing the FAA to repeal outdated restrictions and restore U.S. leadership in high-speed aviation.[4] The DOT and FAA officials, including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Administrator Bryan Bedford, emphasized that advances in aircraft design, materials, and operations—exemplified by Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 demonstrator and NASA’s research—now make boom-free or low-boom supersonic flight feasible.[2][5]

The rule applies primarily to en-route (cruise) operations and would allow limited supersonic speeds, potentially up to around Mach 1.3 under certain atmospheric conditions that cause shockwaves to refract upward. A separate NPRM on takeoff and landing noise standards is planned later in 2026, with both rules targeted for finalization by mid-2027.[6] Public comment is open for 45 days after Federal Register publication.

If implemented, the change could enable significantly shorter flight times for transcontinental and other domestic routes once compliant aircraft enter service, with potential ripple effects on ticket pricing, business travel, and aerospace competitiveness. Companies like Boom Supersonic have welcomed the move as a pathway to commercial viability.