Trump Administration Fast-Tracks Supersonic Travel Amid Executive Orders

In a move poised to revolutionize air travel, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Friday directing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to lift the 52-year ban on supersonic flight over U.S. soil. This policy shift arrives shortly after bipartisan legislation was introduced with the same objective.

The executive order instructs the FAA to eliminate the overland supersonic ban and establish noise-based certification standards. This would permit faster-than-sound travel, provided no audible sonic boom reaches the ground. The initiative signals a significant step towards modernizing aviation regulations and embracing technological advancements in flight.

Michael Kratsios, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, emphasized the potential benefits, stating, “The reality is that Americans should be able to fly from New York to LA in under four hours.” This vision underscores the administration’s ambition to drastically reduce travel times and enhance connectivity.

This policy change could expedite the development of commercial supersonic flight, benefitting companies like Boom Supersonic. Earlier this year, Boom’s XB-1 demonstrator marked a milestone as the first privately developed civil aircraft to surpass the sound barrier over the continental U.S. (Source: TechCrunch)

In response to the news, Boom CEO Blake Scholl expressed enthusiasm, stating, “The sound barrier was never physical — it was regulatory. With supersonic legalized, the return of supersonic passenger air travel is just a matter of time.”

In addition to the supersonic flight order, President Trump also signed two other executive orders focused on the future of flight. These include measures to accelerate drone commercialization and the development of electric vertical takeoff vehicles, as well as the establishment of a federal task force to address drone flight restrictions. (Source: The White House)

These actions collectively signify a comprehensive effort to modernize American airspace, encourage innovation in aviation technology, and address the evolving regulatory landscape surrounding new forms of air travel.