The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently decided to remove the ban on supersonic flights overland. This momentous shift has the potential to overhaul air travel across the United States. For the first time since the 1970s, commercial aircraft would again be able to fly faster than the speed of sound over land. Industry experts and aviation enthusiasts alike are thrilled by this new innovative step.
For decades, the U.S. government banned supersonic travel. They feared the community impacts of noise pollution and recognized it as a civil rights concern. The Concorde was an amazing aircraft, supersonic or otherwise. It had fatal limitations that severely curtailed its flights to only the eastern seaboard when flying from Europe. Yet even as the ban imposed real burdens on airlines and passengers alike, the possible benefits of supersonic flight were mostly still unrealized.
This is a historic victory, courtesy of the FAA! By doing this, commercial flights could reduce cross-country travel times from the current average of five hours to only one hour. This breakthrough in aviation technology is set to save passengers countless hours while making air travel more convenient and attractive.
William Crossley, head of aeronautics and astronautics at Purdue University, underscores how amazing this step would be. He explains that expanded access to supersonic flight has the potential to radically change the way people travel by air. “This change will allow airlines to offer faster services, which is particularly beneficial for business travelers and those with tight schedules,” he commented.
The lifting of the experimental flight ban ignites incredible innovative fast-paced competition between aircraft manufacturers. Today they are able to develop next-gen supersonic designs that fall within today’s environmental parameters. It’s no surprise that airlines are looking hard to find new opportunities. Finally, they claim planes will need to fly quieter with less impact on the environment—and they’re working hard at that.
Additionally, new technology might produce a new generation of less-noisy supersonic jets that prevent the widespread noise disruption problems associated with earlier jets. The aviation industry understands that it cannot prioritize speed over environmental sustainability. More companies are building research aimed at achieving this balance and it’s already becoming a reality.
