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Make America Boom Again! Could the Ban on Supersonic Flights Over Land Be Lifted?

Dec. 16, 2016
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3 min read
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Make America Boom Again! Could the Ban on Supersonic Flights Over Land Be Lifted?
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It's been over 40 years since the Federal Aviation Administration banned supersonic travel over the United States, but that could change if some members of Congress have their way.

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the incoming chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, has assembled a list of regulations his group would like to see repealed by the new White House administration. On the list is the FAA's supersonic ban, with the simple explanation "Make Sonic Boom Again."

Many folks might not know why a ban exists in the first place. When an object travels at supersonic speed, the waves of pressure around it are compressed together and merge into a shock wave. Traveling at the speed of sound, this shock wave trails behind the object like wake turbulence and as it reaches the ground, it creates a pair of loud booming sounds. This is known as a "sonic boom."

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

But it's not just the noise. Sonic booms can be powerful enough to rattle buildings and break windows. In the 1960s, NASA and the FAA attempted to determine the effects of supersonic travel by carrying out a series of 1,253 sonic booms over Oklahoma City. The experiment had to be ended early after over 15,000 complaints were received and 147 broken windows were reported on the two tallest buildings in the city alone.

The most famous commercial supersonic aircraft, Concorde, was operated by British Airways and Air France for nearly 30 years, but due to the FAA's overland ban, the two airlines were forced to restrict their use of the plane to transatlantic flights between East Coast cities and London and Paris.

NASA and others in the airline industry have wrestled with the problem of sonic booms and believe today's technology could provide a major improvement. By altering the shape of the aircraft, sonic booms might be as quiet as the sound of a propeller plane passing 1,000 feet from the ground.

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But even if technology were invented to reduce sonic booms or the FAA's ban were repealed, it's not clear that the US would see a return of supersonic travel anytime soon. Concorde was retired in 2003, and while some believe the FAA's restriction has hurt the demand for new supersonic aircraft development, others claim the larger issue with supersonic travel is economic. Supersonic travel requires an immense amount of fuel and resources, and current subsonic planes are relatively fast. Airlines and passengers may not be willing to spend a huge premium just to save a couple of hours.

When Concorde was in operation, round-trip tickets could cost as much as $10,000 due to the high cost of operating the plane. But there was a way to redeem miles for a trip: Just 125,000 miles on British Airways partner Qantas could get you that round-trip ticket. Of course, back then miles were much less plentiful than they are today, so it could take a very long time to gather that many.

Still, if supersonic flight does return, how many miles do you think it'd be worth to fly from New York to Seattle in under 4 hours?

H/T: Washington Post

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  • Intro Offer

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  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.