FAA Takes First Steps to Repeal Supersonic Flight Ban

Proposed interim standards mark the agency’s first major step to undo the decades-old ban.

Jack Daleo

Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 03:45 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

NASA is exploring the reduction of sonic booms to a quieter 'thump' using its experimental X-59. [Credit: Lockheed Martin]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has initiated the repeal of the 53-year-old ban on civil supersonic flight over the continental U.S., citing advancements in technology that can mitigate sonic booms.
A new Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposes replacing the ban with interim noise-based certification standards, requiring aircraft to produce less than 0.11 pounds per square foot (psf) of sonic boom overpressure.
This regulatory shift aims to open U.S. airspace to safe and commercially viable supersonic flight without special authorization, benefiting companies like Boom Supersonic.
This is the first step in a multi-step process, with future proposals expected for takeoff and landing noise limits, and international standards still under development.

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Federal regulators on Tuesday took the first step in repealing the 53-year-old ban on civil supersonic flight over the continental U.S.

The FAA established the limitation in 1973 to protect the public from sonic booms. It has faced significant pressure from Congress and the White House to reverse it, citing advancements in technology. In a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) published Tuesday, the regulator said it agrees with the ban’s detractors that the provision is “outdated and no longer appropriate.”