The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register on July 2, 2026. The proposal, titled Enabling Supersonic Overland Flight, seeks to replace the longstanding prohibition on civil supersonic flight over land with a performance-based regulatory framework.
Current regulations generally prohibit civil aircraft from flying at a true flight Mach number greater than 1 within the United States. This ban exists to protect the public from sonic boom. Aircraft can fly faster than sound only under specific, operation-specific authorizations granted by the FAA Administrator. The agency determined that this general ban is outdated due to advancements in technology and flight techniques that can prevent sonic booms from reaching the surface.
The proposed rule would repeal this prohibition and establish an interim noise-based certification standard. This change would allow supersonic flights to operate without needing special authorization for each mission. The action aligns with the national policy set forth in the Executive Order of June 6, 2025, which aims to keep the United States leading in supersonic flight. By removing these regulatory barriers, the FAA provides clear pathways for testing and early commercial operations of next-generation aircraft.
The rule affects Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), specifically Part 1 and Part 91, which covers operating rules. The FAA intends for this framework to ensure the safe, efficient, and commercially viable operation of civil supersonic aircraft.
Public comments on this proposal must be submitted on or before August 17, 2026. The relevant docket number is FAA-2026-6935, and the notice number is 26-07.
Summary written for CheckAero from the official document. It is not legal advice; read the full text before acting.