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The US is advancing efforts to introduce civil supersonic flights across the country, more than twenty years after the Concorde aircraft was retired.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced last week that the United States is “taking a pivotal step” in bringing supersonic flights to American skies.
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US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that advancements have been made to operate these aircraft safely and without a sonic boom.
“Restoring supersonic flight over land isn’t just about speed, it’s about unleashing American innovation and ushering in a Golden Age of Travel,” said Duffy.
“…we are working at lightning speed to safely enable the next quantum leap in aviation technology and deliver an exciting new way to fly to the American flying public.”
Supersonic commercial aircraft are designed to fly faster than the speed of sound, dramatically reducing travel times between distant cities.
The most-well known supersonic aircraft, the Concorde, was operational from the 1970s until its retirement in 2003, caused by high operating costs and safety concerns.
Its capabilities meant that it was possible to travel from London to New York in roughly three and a half hours.
The FAA says that they have conducted thorough work with the Civil Aviation Organization, NASA, and industry/academic partners to ensure that this new era of supersonic flight is safe and comfortable.
“Advances in aerospace engineering, materials science, noise reduction, and new operational concepts will eliminate the old sonic boom,” said FAA Administrator, Bryan Bedford.
“This means we can ultimately repeal the ban from the 1970s on supersonic flight over U.S. territory while minimizing noise impacts to residents in communities along the route and near airports.”
The FAA is hoping to repeal the existing regulations that currently prohibit civil aircraft operating at levels higher than Mach 1 (supersonic) by next year.
They say that they will introduce a new “performance-based regulatory framework” that ensures the aircraft’s safety.
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