Faster Air Travel on the Horizon for the US
The skies above the United States may soon open up to significantly faster air travel. This shift isn’t just because new passenger jets capable of supersonic speeds are in development, but also due to potential changes in regulations that could allow these aircraft to break the sound barrier over American soil for the first time.
Historic Restrictions on Supersonic Flights Over the US
During the era of the Concorde, which retired in 2003, commercial supersonic flights over the mainland US were strictly prohibited. This ban was primarily driven by concerns over the disruptive noise caused by sonic booms. However, new legislative efforts are underway: bills introduced recently in both the Senate and the House of Representatives seek to lift these longstanding restrictions. If successful, the next generation of supersonic jets—sometimes called the “Son of Concorde”—could have access to more routes across the country than ever before.
Innovations in Quiet Supersonic Technology
Several companies are racing to develop supersonic passenger planes that can travel faster than Mach 1 without producing loud sonic booms. NASA’s experimental X-59, slated for flight testing in 2025, aims to generate a much quieter “sonic thump” instead of a disruptive boom. Meanwhile, Colorado-based Boom Supersonic is working on the Overture, poised to be the first supersonic commercial airliner since Concorde’s retirement. Opening US airspace to supersonic travel could help overcome significant regulatory challenges the Overture faces.
Breakthroughs and Future Prospects for Supersonic Flight
Excitement around supersonic flight has grown following Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 demonstrator aircraft successfully breaking the sound barrier earlier this year without producing a noticeable sonic boom. This was achieved by flying at a “boomless cruise” speed—also known as “Mach cutoff”—where sound waves refract away from the ground under certain atmospheric conditions. Boom Supersonic plans to build the first prototype engine for the Overture by year’s end. If everything proceeds on schedule, airlines like American Airlines, Japan Airlines (JAL), and United Airlines could receive their first Overture jets before the decade is over.
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