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am Congressional Research Service
Informing the legislative debate since 1914
Supersonic Passenger Flights
It has been over 40 years since British Airways' first Concorde passenger flight took off in 1976.
So far the Concorde is the only commercial supersonic passenger aircraft to travel at more than
twice the speed of sound. It was a technological accomplishment but not a commercial success.
In 2003, all Concorde aircraft were taken out of service.
Recent years have seen a revival of interest in supersonic aircraft. Several startup companies are
developing new supersonic commercial and business jets, hoping technological advances in
materials, design, and engine efficiency will make it possible to produce commercially viable
aircraft.
The main regulatory issues related to supersonic flight remain unchanged from the Concorde era:
limiting ground-level noise during subsonic flight and sonic booms during supersonic flight.
Aircraft noise standards have become much stricter since the Concorde entered service, and the
commercial aircraft fleet is considered to be 75% quieter overall than during the 1970s. However,
some of the technical approaches used to reduce noise during subsonic flight may hinder efforts
to reduce the magnitude of sonic booms in future supersonic aircraft.
In the United States, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-254) directs the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) to take a leadership role in creating federal and international
policies, regulations, and standards to certify safe and efficient civil supersonic aircraft
operations. It requires FAA to consult with industry stakeholders on noise-certification issues,R45404
November 14, 2018
Rachel Y. Tang,
Coordinator
Analyst in Transportation
and Industry
Bart Elias
Specialist in Aviation Policy
Linda Luther
Analyst in Environmental
Policy
Daniel Morgan
Specialist in Science and
Technology Policyincluding operational differences between subsonic and supersonic aircraft. It also requires FAA to develop and issue noise
standards for sonic boom over the United States and for takeoff and landing and noise test requirements applicable to civil
supersonic aircraft. Furthermore, beginning December 31, 2020, and every two years thereafter, FAA will be required to
review available aircraft noise and performance measurements to determine if federal regulations should be amended to
remove the current ban on civil supersonic flight over land.
Since new supersonic aircraft are expected to operate internationally, the lack of agreed-upon international standards or
agreements is likely to hinder production as well as operations. FAA is already engaged with the International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) to develop certification standards for future supersonic aircraft, but this process to produce an
international standard may not be completed until 2025. In addition, the United States and other countries prohibit supersonic
flights over land except in limited circumstances, and changes in those restrictions may be necessary for supersonic aircraft to
be commercially viable.Congressional Research Service
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Tang, Rachel Y.; Elias, Bart; Luther, Linda & Morgan, Daniel. Supersonic Passenger Flights, report, November 14, 2018; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1442997/m1/2/: accessed May 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.