Considers ending ban on supersonic flights

Regulators proposed a change to the 53-year-old ban on supersonic flight over the continental US, shifting the policy focus from speed to noise. Planes traveling faster than sound create sonic booms, and past experiences—including Concorde’s loud “double-bang” and window-shattering military activity in the 1960s—helped cement restrictions. The rules barred Concorde from flying transcontinental civilian routes, reducing the aircraft’s economic viability. However, the historical limitation targeted sonic boom impact on the ground rather than the sound itself in all future scenarios. The article notes that even if quieter supersonic jets were built, the existing framework would still not allow overland crossings. Now, with quieter aircraft becoming plausible near-term options, the Federal Aviation Administration is expected to move toward regulating noise levels rather than outright speed limits.