Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act
Sponsored By: Representative Nehls
Passed House
Summary
Allows civil supersonic aircraft to fly in U.S. airspace if no sonic boom reaches the ground. It would create a regulatory pathway that lets civil planes exceed Mach 1 without special authorizations, while tying takeoff and landing noise limits to the most recent subsonic standards and requiring ongoing review as technology improves.
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- Communities: Residents under flight paths would be protected from ground-level sonic booms, and takeoff and landing noise for supersonic aircraft would be limited to current subsonic levels.
- Operators and airlines: Pilots and carriers could operate at speeds above Mach 1 without a special authorization provided their flights do not produce sonic booms on U.S. soil.
- FAA and manufacturers: The Federal Aviation Administration must issue or revise necessary regulations within 1 year, finalize noise standards by April 1, 2027, and set up periodic reviews to reflect noise-reduction advances.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New rules for quiet supersonic flights
If enacted, the FAA would update rules within 1 year to let civil planes fly faster than Mach 1 in U.S. airspace. Flights would only be allowed if they are operated so no sonic boom reaches the ground in the United States. No special FAA authorization would be required for those flights. By April 1, 2027, the FAA would set final takeoff and landing noise limits for these planes, no louder than the most recent limits for subsonic planes at enactment. The rule would include a process to review and update the noise limits as technology improves.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Nehls
TX • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]
KS • D
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Rep. Rouzer, David [R-NC-7]
NC • R
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Moore (NC)
NC • R
Sponsored 5/29/2025
Rep. Hurd, Jeff [R-CO-3]
CO • R
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Onder
MO • R
Sponsored 6/11/2025
Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]
CA • R
Sponsored 6/25/2025
Evans (CO)
CO • R
Sponsored 7/2/2025
Rep. Shreve, Jefferson [R-IN-6]
IN • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Hudson
NC • R
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Rep. Harrigan, Pat [R-NC-10]
NC • R
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov