U.S. lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation on Wednesday to reverse the Federal Aviation Administration’s long-standing ban on supersonic flight over American soil, in place for more than half a century.
Called the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act—or simply the “Boom” bill—the proposal was presented by Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), Aviation Subcommittee Chair Troy Nehls (R-TX), and Representative Sharice Davids (D-KS). Under the proposed legislation, supersonic travel would be permitted provided that no audible sonic boom reaches the ground below.
The new bill emerges amid significant advances by Boom Supersonic, a Colorado-headquartered aerospace company actively working on the latest generation of civil supersonic aircraft. This January, Boom’s XB-1 demonstrator successfully achieved supersonic speed, becoming the first privately-developed civil aircraft to break the sound barrier over the continental U.S.
North Carolina maintains a significant stake in the bill’s outcome. Last year, Boom Supersonic opened a major supersonic aircraft manufacturing facility in Greensboro following an incentive-laden deal worth more than $100 million in state support in 2022. The company has committed to creating over 1,700 jobs in the Greensboro area by 2030.
Texas, too, has substantial interests at play. Boom’s engines for its planned Overture supersonic airliners are being produced in San Antonio, in partnership with aerospace giant StandardAero.
If enacted, the legislation could kickstart a new era in commercial air travel, significantly accelerating journeys between major cities—provided Boom and other developers can successfully design and manufacture aircraft capable of minimizing or eliminating disruptive sonic booms.
