Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act

This bill would open the door for quiet supersonic flights over the United States. It tells the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to update its rules within one year to let civil airplanes fly faster than the speed of sound in U.S. airspace without special permission, as long as no sonic boom reaches the ground.

In plain terms, if an aircraft can go supersonic without causing booms people can hear or feel on the ground, the FAA must allow it to operate here under the new rules.

• Who is affected: Airlines, airplane makers, pilots, and communities under flight paths.
• What changes: FAA must revise regulations so supersonic flights are allowed without special approvals if they don’t produce ground-level sonic booms.
• When: Within one year after the bill becomes law.