The regulation that banned supersonic flights over land in the United States has been repealed after 51 years. With the executive order signed by US President Donald Trump last week; the law that went into effect in 1973 and prevented supersonic aircraft such as the Concorde from flying at high speeds over cities has officially ended.

USA is scrapping the supersonic flight ban

The ban in question was implemented in the last quarter of the 20th century in response to intense complaints from the public. The supersonic aircraft used at that time caused sudden noise waves reaching up to 110 decibels in cities due to the sonic booms they created when exceeding the speed of sound. This situation created a great environmental disturbance, especially in residential areas, and seriously limited the spread of supersonic flights over land.

In the statements included in Trump’s executive order, it was emphasized that supersonic flight technology would make America the leader of high-speed aviation again. It was stated that the old regulations would be updated in accordance with modern technology; It was stated that the way was opened for the design of new generation aircraft to be quieter, safer and more efficient.

Concorde, the most well-known example of commercial supersonic aviation, was officially retired in 2003. The biggest factor in this decision was the Air France accident that occurred near Paris in 2000. All 109 passengers and crew on board lost their lives in the accident.

After this incident, projects on supersonic commercial flights were shelved for a long time. Since then, the entire aviation industry has focused more on areas such as fuel efficiency, silence and safety.

However, in recent years, both technological developments and the interest of new initiatives in supersonic projects have led to a reorientation in this area. Many companies are learning from the mistakes of the past and are working on supersonic aircraft with lower noise levels, reduced environmental impact and more economical.

With the lifting of the ban, it is expected that new regulations will be prepared for the integration of supersonic flights into civil air traffic. So what do you think about this issue? You can share your views with us in the comments section below.