Regulation Text
(a) No person may operate a civil aircraft in the United States at a true flight Mach number greater than 1 except in compliance with conditions and limitations in an authorization to exceed Mach 1 issued to the operator in accordance with § 91.818.
(b) In addition, no person may operate a civil aircraft for which the maximum operating limit speed MM0 exceeds a Mach number of 1, to or from an airport in the United States, unless—
(1) Information available to the flight crew includes flight limitations that ensure that flights entering or leaving the United States will not cause a sonic boom to reach the surface within the United States; and
(2) The operator complies with the flight limitations prescribed in paragraph (b)(1) of this section or complies with conditions and limitations in an authorization to exceed Mach 1 issued in accordance with § 91.818.
(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 2120-0005)[Docket 18334, 54 FR 34321, Aug. 18, 1989, as amended by Amdt. 91-362, 86 FR 3792, Jan. 15, 2021]
The short answer
(14 CFR § 91.817) No person may operate a civil aircraft in the United States at a true flight Mach number greater than 1 except under an authorization to exceed Mach 1 issued per § 91.818. Aircraft with MMO above Mach 1 also need flight limitations preventing a sonic boom from reaching the U.S. surface.
Research Notes
Common Questions
Can a civil aircraft fly supersonic over the United States?
Only with an authorization to exceed Mach 1 issued under § 91.818. Without that authorization, exceeding a true flight Mach number of 1 in the U.S. is prohibited.
“No person may operate a civil aircraft in the United States at a true flight Mach number greater than 1 except in compliance with conditions and limitations in an authorization to exceed Mach 1 issued to the operator in accordance with § 91.818.” — 14 CFR § 91.817(a)
What about an aircraft whose MMO exceeds Mach 1 flying into the U.S.?
The flight crew’s information must include flight limitations ensuring flights entering or leaving the U.S. won’t cause a sonic boom to reach the surface, and the operator must comply with those limitations or with a § 91.818 authorization.
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