View Rule

Technological advances and renewed industry interest in developing new supersonic aircraft have prompted the need to consider policy and regulatory changes to enable certification and operation of these aircraft domestically. 14 CFR part 91 prohibits overland supersonic flight, but allows flights for test and development of new aircraft under the terms of appendix B. The procedures of appendix B and its related guidance are outdated, having been adopted in the late 1970s, and both the FAA and industry have difficulty determining what is expected from an applicant seeking a flight authorization. Modernization of appendix B to reflect current industry and regulatory needs will result in a streamlined process that will facilitate both overland testing and an understanding of the impacts of these flights. The FAA anticipates that as flight testing increases, more data can be gathered from the tests that will inform the efforts to promulgate a complete set of noise regulations for the certification of supersonic aircraft.