After more than five decades, the long-standing ban on supersonic flights over land has officially come to an end. Last week, former US President Donald Trump signed an executive order lifting the 1973 regulation that prohibited commercial aircraft from exceeding the speed of sound above populated areas due to the disruptive sonic booms caused by planes like the Concorde.
In the 1970s, supersonic jets could fly at speeds exceeding 2,400 km/h (Mach 2), but their sonic booms—reaching noise levels up to 110 decibels—sparked widespread public complaints. These explosive sounds, comparable to car horns, severely affected urban life and ultimately led to a blanket ban on such flights over land.
Trump’s executive order signals more than just a regulatory shift—it introduces a bold national vision for the future of aviation. The order reads: “This directive marks the launch of a historic national effort to reestablish the United States as the undisputed leader in high-speed aviation. By updating outdated standards and embracing new technologies, we will empower our engineers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to deliver a new generation of air travel that is faster, quieter, safer, and more efficient.”
While the Concorde was retired in 2003—following a tragic crash in 2000 near Paris that killed all 109 passengers and crew—new interest in supersonic and hypersonic travel has resurfaced. A growing number of aerospace companies are developing next-gen aircraft aimed at overcoming noise, altitude, and safety challenges.
Key players in this revival include:
- NASA and Lockheed Martin with their X-59 project, designed to eliminate the traditional sonic boom.
- Boom Supersonic, which earlier this year quietly broke the sound barrier.
- Hermeus, whose Quarterhorse Mk 1 recently completed test flights with ambitions for hypersonic speeds.
- Venus Aerospace, aiming for Mach 9 (approx. 11,100 km/h) by 2030 with its Stargazer aircraft for 12 passengers.
With regulatory obstacles now lifted, innovation in the field is poised to accelerate, promising a new era where intercontinental travel may take hours instead of entire days.