In a move to help develop new certification and regulatory measures for the reintroduction of supersonic jets, the Federal Aviation Administration has introduced maximum takeoff and landing noise levels for future aircraft.
The agency is accepting public comment on the proposal through July 13.
According to Travel Weekly, proposed noise standards would govern aircraft with a maximum operating speed of up to Mach 1.8, or 1,381 miles per hour. The previous rules have been in place since the Concorde was last flown in 2003.
"Allowing civil airplane operation at speeds in excess of Mach 1 over land in the U.S. may become possible in the future, but it is not expected before the development of new technologies reducing the impact of sonic boom generation or eliminating sonic boom exposure," the FAA said.
Supersonic jets appear to be making a comeback as at least three different aviation companies - Boom Supersonic, Spike Aerospace and Aerion Supersonic - are developing commercial or private supersonic aircraft.
The S-512 jet under design by Spike Aerospace would be an 18-seat plane with a maximum speed of Mach 1.6. Aerion's 12-seat AS2 would travel at Mach 1.4. Boom's 55- to 75-seat Overture is being designed for a top speed of Mach 2.2, which would be outside the parameters of this regulatory proposal.
The FAA rules would not be locked in stone but rather flexible depending on how many engines a supersonic plane would have. The rule would allow for planes to be louder than modern generation subsonic civilian aircraft.
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