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Are sonic booms allowed in the US?

Current rules prohibit commercial airplanes from flying at supersonic speeds over land because of the noise levels associated with sonic booms and the negative impacts to humans and animals.



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In 1973, the Federal Aviation Administration banned supersonic commercial flights over land because of sonic booms — a prohibition that remains in effect today.

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Fifty years ago, the federal government banned all civilian supersonic flights over land. The rule prohibits non-military aircraft from flying faster than sound so their resulting sonic booms won't startle the public below or concern them about potential property damage.

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If you're WONDERing about how pilots handle sonic booms, they actually don't hear them. They can see the pressure waves around the plane, but people on board the airplane can't hear the sonic boom. Like the wake of a ship, the boom carpet unrolls behind the airplane.

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The Bombardier Global 8000 During a flight test in May 2021, the Bombardier Global 8000 broke the sound barrier, reaching Mach 1.015 (1243 kph), as confirmed by a NASA-operated Boeing F-18, which accompanied the aircraft during testing. It also reached this speed while flying on SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel).

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