Latest news with #SupersonicAviationModernizationAct
Scottish Sun
11-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
‘Son of Concorde' jet that could fly from London to NYC in 3.5 hours steps closer to reality as major ban is lifted
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CONCORDE-STYLE flights capable of blasting passengers from London to New York City in 3.5 hours have edged closer to reality after a major ban was lifted. "Son of Concorde" maker Boom Technology has welcomed President Trump's executive order that effectively lifts the 52-year ban on civil supersonic flight over land in the US. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Boom managed its first supersonic flight in January Credit: Boom Supersonic 4 Company is now making supersonic airplanes for everyday passengers Credit: Boom Supersonic 4 Tight restrictions on supersonic flights have been in place due to the loud sonic boom created by the shock waves from a flying object travelling faster than the speed of sound. "America once led the world in supersonic aviation, but decades of stifling regulations grounded progress," the White House said. "This Order removes regulatory barriers so that U.S. companies can dominate supersonic flight once again." To hit supersonic speeds, an airplane needs to travel at 768 miles per hour. But Boom Technology has been working on a jet that has no audible sonic boom. The firm managed to make its XB-1 test jet fly faster than the speed of sound for the first time in January this year. Writing on X, the company welcomed the latest move, saying: "Thank you, President Trump, for unlocking the future of faster and quieter travel. "This presidential action comes after a bipartisan group of key Congressional leaders introduced the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act on May 14, 2025. "The legislation calls on the FAA to revise the regulation prohibiting supersonic flight over land." After finishing tests with XB-1 in January, Boom is now focused on building a plane suitable for passengers called Overture. Boom 'son of Concorde' flies supersonic for first time Some 130 aircraft pre-orders have already been made by the likes of American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. The executive order does come with a set of rules that the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been directed to impose. An interim "noise-based certification standard" must be established that considers "community acceptability, economic reasonableness, and technological feasibility". Why did the Concorde fail? CONCORDE was the supersonic passenger jet considered the ultimate luxury in air travel. Air France and British Airways announced they would be retiring their fleet of Concorde planes on April 10, 2003. The plane had its first commercial flight on January 21, 1976, so was retired after 27 years of service and 50,000 flights. Several reasons led to the decision to retire Concorde. Air France and British Airways cited low passenger numbers and high maintenance costs. By the early noughties, the planes were outdated and expensive to run, despite being incredibly advanced when they were first introduced almost three decades previously. The 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001 majorly impacted passenger numbers, as people opted not to fly. Passenger numbers also fell after an Air France Concorde crashed just minutes after taking off from Paris in July 2000. The disaster killed all 109 people on board and four others on the ground. The plane ran over a small piece of metal on the runway, which burst a tyre and caused an engine to ignite. It was also the only aircraft in the British Airways fleet that required a flight engineer. Image credit: Alamy Trump was presented with a miniature model of Overture earlier this year from Boom Technology's CEO. He suggested that Boom should manufacture Air Force One - the President's personal plane - and made a dig at China President Xi Jinping. "Air Fore Once should be supersonic. Xi [President of China] can keep his 747-8," he wrote. 4 Trump posed with a miniature model of Boom Technology's Overture jet Credit: x/bscholl
The Irish Sun
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Irish Sun
‘Son of Concorde' jet that could fly from London to NYC in 3.5 hours steps closer to reality as major ban is lifted
CONCORDE-STYLE flights capable of blasting passengers from London to New York City in 3.5 hours have edged closer to reality after a major ban was lifted. "Son of Concorde" maker 4 Boom managed its first supersonic flight in January Credit: Boom Supersonic 4 Company is now making supersonic airplanes for everyday passengers Credit: Boom Supersonic 4 Tight restrictions on supersonic flights have been in place due to the loud sonic boom created by the shock waves from a flying object travelling faster than the speed of sound. "America once led the world in supersonic aviation, but decades of stifling regulations grounded progress," the White House said. "This Order removes regulatory barriers so that U.S. companies can dominate supersonic flight once again." To hit supersonic speeds, an airplane needs to travel at 768 miles per hour. Read more about flying But Boom Technology has been working on a jet that has no audible sonic boom. The firm managed to make its XB-1 test jet fly faster than the speed of sound for the first time in January this year. Writing on X, the company welcomed the latest move, saying: "Thank you, President Trump, for unlocking the future of faster and quieter travel. "This presidential action comes after a bipartisan group of key Congressional leaders introduced the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act on May 14, 2025. Most read in Tech "The legislation calls on the FAA to revise the regulation prohibiting supersonic flight over land." After finishing tests with XB-1 in January, Boom is now focused on building a plane suitable for passengers called Overture. Boom 'son of Concorde' flies supersonic for first time Some 130 aircraft pre-orders have already been made by the likes of American Airlines, United Airlines, and Japan Airlines. The executive order does come with a set of rules that the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been directed to impose. An interim "noise-based certification standard" must be established that considers "community acceptability, economic reasonableness, and technological feasibility". Why did the Concorde fail? CONCORDE was the supersonic passenger jet considered the ultimate luxury in air travel. Air France and British Airways announced they would be The plane had its first commercial flight on January 21, 1976, so was retired after 27 years of service and 50,000 flights. Several reasons led to the decision to retire Concorde. Air France and British Airways cited low passenger numbers and high maintenance costs. By the early noughties, the planes were outdated and expensive to run, despite being incredibly advanced when they were first introduced almost three decades previously. The 9/11 terrorist attack in 2001 majorly impacted passenger numbers, as people opted not to fly. Passenger numbers also fell after an The disaster The plane ran over a small It was also the only aircraft in the British Airways fleet that required a flight engineer. Image credit: Alamy Trump was presented with a miniature model of Overture earlier this year from Boom Technology's CEO. He suggested that Boom should manufacture Air Force One - the President's personal plane - and made a dig at China President "Air Fore Once should be supersonic. Xi [President of China] can keep his 747-8," he wrote. 4 Trump posed with a miniature model of Boom Technology's Overture jet Credit: x/bscholl Supersonic and Hypersonic Jets There are several types of hypersonic and supersonic jets. A breakdown of what's been happening in the industry and what's expected in the coming years. Talon-A Built by Stratolaunch Reported speeds of Mach 5 The first test flight conducted in 2024 Built by Nasa and Lockheed Martin Predicted max speeds of Mach 1.4 The first test flight in 2024 - but subject to delays Built by Venus Aerospace and Velontra Predicted max speeds of Mach 6 First test flight in 2025 Built by Hermeus Predicted max speeds of Mach 2.5 First test flight in 2026 Built by Hermeus Predicted max speeds of Mach 5 First test flight by 2030 Built by China's hypersonic plane programme Predicted max speeds of Mach 6 First test flight in 2025 Built by Hypersonix Launch Systems Predicted max speeds of Mach 7 First test flight in 2025
Scientific American
15-05-2025
- Business
- Scientific American
Lawmakers Push to Legalize Emissions-Heavy ‘Supersonic' Planes
A bill to repeal the ban on supersonic flights over the U.S. could increase the demand for the gas-guzzling jets from around a dozen to as many as 240 By & CLIMATEWIRE | Lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol are seeking to repeal a half-century-old regulation that prevents civilian aircraft from traveling faster than the speed of sound over the United States. The "Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act" could vastly increase the potential market — and emissions — of Boom Supersonic, a planemaking startup backed by United Airlines; Japan Airlines; and Sam Altman, the billionaire CEO of the artificial intelligence firm OpenAI. No commercial supersonic planes have been in operation since the Concorde ceased flights between New York and London in 2003. But aviation analysts estimate that the jets Boom is developing would consume at least two times more fuel per passenger than flying on commercial airplanes in operation now. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. The bill is from Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), whose state is home to Boom's manufacturing plant, and Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), the chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. It's co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah and Tim Sheehy of Montana as well as Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas. "Supersonic flight without an audible sonic boom should obviously be allowed," said Blake Scholl, Boom's founder and CEO, in statements released by the bill's lead sponsors. "I urge Congress to pass the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act supersonically, so we can all enjoy faster flights and maintain American leadership in aviation." The legislation would order the Federal Aviation Administration to scrap or update a 1973 regulation that prohibits non-military-related supersonic flight over the U.S. within a year of the bill's passage. It specifically calls for the agency to allow for civilian flights in the national airspace "at a Mach number greater than 1 so long as the aircraft is operated in such a manner that no sonic boom reaches the ground in the United States." The congressional push to undo the overland flight ban comes as NASA prepares to conduct its first test flights of a supersonic jet developed by Lockheed Martin to produce sonic "thumps," rather than booms, when traveling faster than the speed of sound. The United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization is also set to develop new noise standards that member states could adopt. In February, Boom completed a series of supersonic test flights in a prototype plane that it claimed did not produce sonic booms that were audible from the ground. The speed of sound, or Mach 1, varies based on atmospheric conditions but is generally around 767 mph at sea level. The following month, Scholl visited Washington to lobby Trump administration officials to repeal the supersonic flight ban, POLITICO Pro reported at the time. The International Council on Clean Transportation, an environmental research group, estimated in 2022 that dropping overland flight prohibitions for supersonic aircraft in the U.S. and other major markets could increase the demand for the gas-guzzling jets from around a dozen to as many as 240. The company has already reported inking deals with airlines to produce 130 planes. Boom is designing its engines to run on sustainable aviation fuel, which has a fraction of the carbon emissions of traditional jet fuel. But operating the supersonic jets with SAF would be uneconomic for most airlines given the higher cost of SAF and the greater fuel consumption required to break the sound barrier.
E&E News
15-05-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Lawmakers push to legalize emissions-heavy ‘supersonic' planes
Lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol are seeking to repeal a half-century-old regulation that prevents civilian aircraft from traveling faster than the speed of sound over the United States. The 'Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act' could vastly increase the potential market — and emissions — of Boom Supersonic, a planemaking startup backed by United Airlines; Japan Airlines; and Sam Altman, the billionaire CEO of the artificial intelligence firm OpenAI. No commercial supersonic planes have been in operation since the Concorde ceased flights between New York and London in 2003. But aviation analysts estimate that the jets Boom is developing would consume at least two times more fuel per passenger than flying on commercial airplanes in operation now. Advertisement The bill is from Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), whose state is home to Boom's manufacturing plant, and Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), the chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. It's co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah and Tim Sheehy of Montana as well as Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bill to repeal ban of civil supersonic flight over land could open door for Boom Supersonic in Greensboro
WASHINGTON D.C. (WGHP) — Federal legislation filed by a North Carolina senator could open a critical door for a Greensboro factory aiming to achieve commercial supersonic flight. On Monday, Sen. Ted Budd (R-North Carolina) filed the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act, a bill that would repeal a ban on overland civil supersonic flight. The bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-Montana). 'The race for supersonic dominance between the U.S. and China is already underway and the stakes couldn't be higher,' Budd said. 'To maintain our global leadership in aerospace innovation, we must modernize air travel by lifting the outdated ban on civil supersonic flight. The Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act paves the way to lift decades-old restrictions, allowing for faster air travel. This is a critical step to ensure America leads the next era of aviation.' PTI congratulates Boom Supersonic on successful supersonic flight Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) introduced a version of the bill in the House of Representatives, which was co-sponsored by Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas). The National Business Aviation Association supports both of these bills. Boom Supersonic, which intends to build engines for its commercial supersonic jets in Greensboro, has also voiced its support for this legislation, stating that it 'supports revising this regulation to allow supersonic flight that does not create audible sonic booms and to establish a certification pathway for future low-boom aircraft.' They have also expressed their commitment to building a supersonic aircraft in the United States, as they did with their demonstrator, the XB-1, which went supersonic without a 'boom' earlier this year. 'Supersonic flight without an audible sonic boom should obviously be allowed,' Blake Scholl, Founder of Boom Supersonic, said. 'The ban on supersonic has held back progress for more than half a century. I urge Congress to pass the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act supersonically so we can all enjoy faster flights and maintain American leadership in aviation.' Boom is investing about $500 million to build Overture, a commercial supersonic jet, in Greensboro and, in January 2023, on a 62-acre site where its so-called 'Superfactory' is . The company, which plans to employ more than 1,700, also has an . Boom plans to have its first passengers in the air by 2029 and will fly more than 600 'profitable routes' to destinations worldwide with a range of 4,250 nautical miles. Boom has taken on three partners to design and build which will power the Overture, and now has partnerships with companies to provide Another partner, Dimensional Energy, is to provide which is as being made from 'renewable biomass and waste resources,' which could be corn, algae or wood products. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
