From New York to Los Angeles in three hours: Supersonic flights return to the US in 2027

Commercial supersonic flights could be coming to the United States following a new executive order lifting a ban on land-based commercial supersonic flights.

Looking back, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned such flights in 1973 in response to public pressure over noise concerns. However, the new executive order , issued on June 6, lifts that restriction and establishes a new timeline for the introduction of noise-based certification standards for supersonic flight. This measure could therefore cut travel time between New York and Los Angeles by almost half , from six to three and a half hours.

However, the regulatory timeline for this implementation can be considered ambitious, since the new directive requires the implementation of the final rules by June 2027 , according to Space.com .

The new supersonic planes don't make any noise.

Before the ban, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union were all pursuing commercial applications for supersonic aviation technology, but each country's supersonic aircraft produced booming, window-shattering noises . But now, companies like Boom Supersonic are developing supersonic aircraft that can reach Mach 1 —more than 1,200 kilometers per hour—and make no ground noise at all .

Furthermore, proof of the latter is the milestone achieved by Boom Supersonic in January of this year, when the XB-1 supersonic aircraft reached a speed of Mach 0.95, putting it just one step away from breaking the sound barrier . However, we must not forget the Lockheed Martin and NASA X-59 aircraft , an aircraft that completed a crucial test at the end of May in which it proved that it can fly at high altitudes.

This is what supersonic aircraft look like today

If we start with NASA and Lockheed Martin's X-59, this aircraft measures 30 meters long and 4.27 meters high, can reach a cruising altitude of 16,764 meters, will fly at Mach 1.42 (equivalent to 1,760 kilometers per hour) , has an external HD vision system to see in real time what is happening, is equipped with only one engine that is placed on the top of the tail, will not produce an alarming sonic boom when flying and has arrow-shaped wings to enter the atmosphere more smoothly.

And, on the other hand, Boom Supersonic's X-B1 has a carbon and titanium composite fuselage, measures 21.64 meters, has advanced avionics and digitally optimized aerodynamics, can reach a speed of 1.7 Mach (about 2,082 kilometers per hour) , is equipped with three General Electric J85 engines and will have a capacity of between 60 and 80 passengers.

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