The US Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a new rule that would allow supersonic flights over US cities if the aircraft can reduce the impact of sonic booms. This move could pave the way for the return of commercial supersonic airliners.
The FAA originally banned overland supersonic flights in 1973 due to the disruptive effects of sonic booms. However, with advancements in technology, the Trump administration has been pushing to repeal the ban.
The proposed rule would require any sonic boom overpressure at the surface to be kept below 0.11 pounds per square foot, based on demonstrations by Boom Supersonic's XB-1 aircraft. This could lead to the development of quieter supersonic aircraft.
