Supersonic flight was always focused on crossing oceans in record time. The Concorde famously brought flight times between New York and London down to three hours before its last retirement in 2003. But flying supersonic within the country has been off the table since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned overland supersonic flights in March 1973 due to loud sonic booms.
The Trump administration wants to change that—though the bureaucracy is moving slowly. Last year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order promising to "empower our engineers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries to deliver the next generation of air travel" by lifting the ban. Earlier this month, the FAA announced a proposal for new sound-based rules that would replace the total ban. Members of the public have until August 17 to comment.
