Jet that could fly from London to NYC in 3.5 hours steps closer to reality
'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.
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 US companies can dominate supersonic flight once again.'
To hit supersonic speeds, an aeroplane needs to travel at 768 miles (1235km/h) 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.
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'.
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
22 minutes ago
- West Australian
Donald Trump says brokering a Ukraine ceasefire with Vladimir Putin is Alaska Summit's imperative
US President Donald Trump arrived in Alaska on Friday for a high-profile meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia in hopes of brokering a ceasefire in the Ukraine war and said he was 'not going to be happy' if the Russians refuse to go along. Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew to Alaska, Mr Trump said 'there's nothing set in stone' regarding a potential agreement, acknowledging that success was uncertain. 'I want to see a ceasefire rapidly,' he said. 'I don't know if it's going to be today. But I'm not going to be happy if it's not today.' In a separate airborne interview with Fox News, Mr Trump said 'I would walk' if Mr Putin baulked at a deal to end the fighting. The President landed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage at about 10.20am local time, and was expected to greet Mr Putin, who had not yet arrived, on the tarmac. The Kremlin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said meetings could last six to seven hours. The White House hopes to hold a news conference by late afternoon in Alaska, announcing some sort of progress. Mr Trump has been unclear about his negotiating positions, but said that while he was interested in resuming economic ties between the United States and Russia, it could not happen 'until we get the war settled.' He said he expected to discuss land swaps between Ukraine and Russia — which Ukraine vehemently opposes — but added that 'I've got to let Ukraine make that decision.' He also said 'there's a possibility' of security assurances for Ukraine as part of an eventual peace deal but 'not in the form of NATO' membership. Hours earlier, Mr Trump injected new uncertainty into his effort to end the war in Ukraine by calling Mr Putin's top ally, President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus, and then heaping praise on him. Mr Lukashenko is one of the world's longest-ruling dictators and a figure long shunned by US presidents, and he helped Russia begin its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Mr Trump wrote on social media that he 'had a wonderful talk' with Mr Lukashenko, and called him 'highly respected.' — Summit details: Mr Trump and Mr Putin are expected to give a joint news conference after the meeting, at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Mr Trump was not scheduled to be on the ground in Alaska for the six - seven hours that Kremlin suggested. The White House said he would depart for Washington at 5.45pm local time. — Possible scenarios: The outcome of the meeting seems to be less predictable than most presidential summits. Among the issues that could shape the proceedings are whether Mr Putin is prepared to discuss a ceasefire and whether Mr Trump will apply pressure on Russia by threatening more sanctions or additional support to Ukraine, as European allies want. — The Trump-Putin relationship: The meeting will be at least the seventh between the two leaders, and the first of Mr Trump's second term. His first term was shadowed by questions over Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, which Mr Trump has repeatedly referred to as 'the Russia hoax.' It will be the first US visit in a decade for Mr Putin, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Ukraine and risks arrest if he travels to countries that are members of the court. The United States is not. — On the battlefield: Russia enters Friday's talks from a position of strength against Ukraine. Its army has driven a wedge into Ukrainian defences in the east, and Ukrainian officials have warned that Moscow has amassed forces and equipment for new offensive operations. This article originally appeared in The New York Times . © 2025 The New York Times Company
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
‘Rare move': Putin joins Trump in limo as high-stakes summit begins
CNN reporter Marybel Gonzalez discusses US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin arriving in the Alaskan city of Anchorage to discuss the Ukraine war. 'This summit is already kicking off to a peculiar start when President Putin and Trump touched down here in Anchorage, Alaska, President Putin joining Trump inside of his limo,' Ms Gonzalez said. 'This is a rare move, especially for a US adversary … this will mark a one-on-one moment between the two leaders, even if for a brief car ride.'
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Journalist asks if Putin will agree to a ceasefire during photo opportunity
A journalist has asked Vladimir Putin if he will agree to a ceasefire and commit to not killing any more civilians during a photo opportunity in Alaska.
