The DOT and the FAA are taking steps to advance the development of civil supersonic aircraft beginning with the FAA’s initiation of two rulemaking activities on civil supersonic aircraft noise. The first is a proposed rule for noise certification of supersonic aircraft, the second a proposed rule to streamline and clarify the procedures to obtain special flight authorization for conducting supersonic flight-testing in the United States since the Part 36 noise certification standards don’t apply to supersonic aircraft. The goal is to develop new standards that are technologically and economically feasible. The current FAR 91.817 essentially prohibits flight over the U.S. by any aircraft faster than Mach 1 true airspeed.
FAA Initiates Rulemaking on Supersonic Flights
Key Takeaways:
- The FAA is initiating two rulemaking activities to establish new noise certification standards and streamline special flight authorization for testing civil supersonic aircraft, fulfilling a mandate from the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.
- Notices of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRMs) for flight testing authorization and noise certification are anticipated by December 2019 and March 2020, respectively, for public review.
- These initial regulatory updates will not lift the current ban on supersonic flight over U.S. land, but the FAA will conduct biennial reviews starting in late 2020 to assess if technological advancements warrant amending this prohibition.
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