Trump executive order clears path for overland supersonic flight
President Trump has issued an executive order that would allow for commercial supersonic flights over land.
The June 6 order directs the FAA to begin the process of repealing the existing overland ban, which was put in place in 1973 due to the loud noise emitted by sonic booms, within 18 months.
In its place, the order calls for the FAA to set a standard for supersonic aircraft noise that considers community acceptability, economic reasonableness and technological feasibility.
Commercial supersonic flights have not been available since the Concorde last flew in 2003. But technological advancements have since made supersonic flight much quieter. In January, the startup Boom Supersonic completed supersonic tests of a prototype plane, called XB-1, which it says were not audible on the ground.
Boom hopes to build a new generation passenger supersonic aircraft, to be called Overture, with first production at its Greensboro, N.C., factory next year, though doing so will be a tall task. Among a number of challenges, the company's largest obstacle might be that it must also build its own engine, having failed to secure the assistance of major engine makers, including GE, Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney.
In a press release, Boom praised Trump's executive order: "Once the ban is lifted, Overture's Boomless Cruise mode will allow speeds up to Mach 1.3 [997 mph] over land. This is up to 50% faster than today's jets, with no audible boom for communities below. Travelers could save up to 90 minutes on U.S. coast-to-coast routes, and global routes with overland segments would see even more significant benefits."
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