Bill Filed to Allow Supersonic Flight Over Land in U.S.

On May 14, 2025, House aviation subcommittee chair Troy Nehls (R-Texas) and Senate Commerce Committee member Ted Budd (R-North Carolina) introduced the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act, which calls on the Federal Aviation Administration to issue/reverse regulations within one year to permit operations at speeds of Mach 1 or more over U.S. land without special authorization as long as no sonic boom reaches the ground. This Act was co-sponsored in the House by Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) and in the Senate by Thoms Tillis (R-North Carolina), Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Tim Sheehy (R-Montana). Nehls argues that the U.S. should welcome “ground-breaking innovations” as long as public safety is not threatened. Budd argues that the U.S. needs to maintain global leadership in aerospace, specifically in response to China’s growing aerospace technology.

Lawmakers See to End 52-Year Ban on Super Sonic Flights Over Land

This article also outlines the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act that instructs the FAA to revise its 1973 statute prohibiting nonmilitary air travel that exceeds Mach 1 over land. The bill would allow civilian aircraft to travel at Mach 1 or faster as long as no sonic booms reach the ground. American companies are working to develop “quiet supersonic” tech, such as Boom Supersonic, which broke the sound barrier with the XB-1. XB-1 is the first American-made civilian jet to travel faster than the speed of sound.