FAA moves to end supersonic overland flight ban, opens comment period

The Federal Aviation Administration proposed to end the ban on civil supersonic flight over the United States, replacing decades-old case-by-case authorizations with interim noise-based certification standards. The FAA said the prohibition is "outdated and no longer appropriate" given advances in technology, flight techniques that prevent sonic booms from reaching the surface, and increased interest in civil supersonic flight.

Under current regulations, civil aircraft are generally prohibited from flying faster than Mach 1 over the U.S. without a special authorization from the FAA administrator. The proposed rule would eliminate that requirement, allowing supersonic flights to proceed under an interim noise-based certification standard instead, provided sonic booms do not reach the surface.

What Changed and Why

The rulemaking follows an executive order signed June 6, 2025, titled "Leading the World in Supersonic Flight," which directed the FAA to modernize supersonic regulations. The proposal is part of a broader U.S. push to restart commercial supersonic flight after decades of noise-based restrictions. The FAA says it is intended to position the United States as the global leader in setting standards for next-generation supersonic aviation. The agency plans separate future rulemaking to address landing and takeoff noise standards for supersonic aircraft.

How to Comment

Comments are due Aug. 17, 2026. Submit them under docket FAA-2026-6935 at regulations.gov. Comments submitted to the docket are posted publicly without editing, including any personal information provided by the commenter.