Congress fast-tracks supersonic flight rules—enforcement details left to FAA
S. 1759 — Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act · Filed by Ted Budd (R-NC) · 5 cosponsors · Introduced May 14, 2025 · Reported out
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill requires the FAA to update its rules within one year to permit civilian supersonic aircraft to fly faster than the speed of sound in U.S. airspace, provided the aircraft is designed or operated so that sonic booms do not reach the ground. Currently, supersonic flight by civilian aircraft is banned over the U.S.; this bill opens that possibility for aircraft meeting the no-ground-boom condition.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a directive to remove a categorical regulatory prohibition (the supersonic ban) and replace it with a performance-based standard (no ground boom). This is deregulation in form—lifting a blanket restriction—but framed as modernization to enable emerging technology.
What the text implies
- The bill does not define how the FAA will verify or enforce the 'no sonic boom reaches the ground' condition in practice; compliance may depend on real-time monitoring technology that does not yet exist at scale.
- A one-year rulemaking deadline is aggressive for a complex aeronautical standard; FAA may issue interim or permissive rules before full environmental and safety review, creating liability and enforcement gaps.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
aircraft manufacturers (Boom Supersonic, Aerion, other supersonic startups); commercial airlines seeking faster transatlantic/transpacific service; aerospace suppliers and avionics firms