Lawmakers Seek to End 52-Year Ban on Supersonic Flights Over Land

Supersonic speeds for nonmilitary flights have been outlawed since 1973 due to noise and property damage concerns.

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 03:41 PM ET

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Edited By: Steve Spears

Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 supersonic jet demonstrator takes off from the runway on March 22, 2025. [Courtesy: Boom Supersonic]

Key Takeaways:

A new bill, the "Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act," has been introduced in Congress to revise the 50-year-old ban on most supersonic flight over U.S. land.
The proposed legislation would allow civilian aircraft to fly supersonically over land, provided that no sonic booms reach the ground, citing advancements in "quiet supersonic" technology.
Supporters of the bill emphasize its importance for maintaining U.S. global leadership in aerospace innovation and enhancing competitiveness against international rivals.
The move comes as private companies like Boom Supersonic are developing new commercial supersonic aircraft, demonstrating the feasibility of modern supersonic travel.

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A group of lawmakers in Congress is putting forward a bill that would undo much of the more than 50-year-old rule banning most supersonic flight over U.S. land.

The Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act, introduced Wednesday by Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina and Representative Troy Nehls of Texas, would instruct the FAA to revise a 1973 statute prohibiting nonmilitary air travel that exceeds Mach 1 over land. The rule was introduced to limit sonic booms, which are not only loud but capable of damaging property on the ground below.

Zach Vasile is a writer and editor covering news in all aspects of aviation. He has reported for and contributed to the Manchester Journal Inquirer, the Hartford Business Journal, the Charlotte Observer, and the Washington Examiner, with his area of focus being the intersection of business and government policy.