BOOM: Duffy Announces Supersonic Flights Are Coming Soon 

Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy announced on Tuesday afternoon that the Federal Aviation Administration is taking a “pivotal step” to make civil supersonic flights possible. The Department of Transportation says the flights will be fast, quiet, and coming soon.

“Restoring supersonic flight over land isn’t just about speed, it’s about unleashing American innovation and ushering in a Golden Age of Travel,” Duffy said in a press release announcing the move.

“Thanks to President [Donald] Trump’s leadership, we are working at lightning speed to safely enable the next quantum leap in aviation technology and deliver an exciting new way to fly to the American flying public,” Duffy continued.

The department said innovations in supersonic technology will make it possible to safely operate the aircraft without a sonic boom.

This will be possible “in the next several years, in our lifetime,” said Duffy, appearing on Fox News. He explained that, if done right, the sonic boom “can ricochet off of the atmosphere and not hit the ground and break windows.”

According to the FAA, commercial flights generally fly between 550 and 600 mph. With supersonic speeds, they will be able to travel faster than 770 mph. A flight from Los Angeles to New York, which currently takes roughly five and a half hours, could take only three hours.

In the announcement, officials only reference flights in the United States, but by securing aviation safety agreements with foreign authorities, this could change.

The FAA is collaborating with the International Civil Aviation Organization, NASA, industry, and academic institutions to deliver the flights.