"steve mew" wrote in message ...
Does anyone know where the specific FAA regulations are that govern
supersonic flight ?
ie Hypothetically if one wanted to fly across the continental US at post
sonic speed how would you go about it ?

Sec. 91.817 - Civil aircraft sonic boom.

(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 under appendix B of this part.

(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 under appendix
B of this part.

Sec. 91.819 - Civil supersonic airplanes that do not comply with part
36.

(a) Applicability. This section applies to civil supersonic airplanes
that have not been shown to comply with the Stage 2 noise limits of
part 36 in effect on October 13, 1977, using applicable trade-off
provisions, and that are operated in the United States, after July 31,
1978.

(b) Airport use. Except in an emergency, the following apply to each
person who operates a civil supersonic airplane to or from an airport
in the United States:

(1) Regardless of whether a type design change approval is applied for
under part 21 of this chapter, no person may land or take off an
airplane covered by this section for which the type design is changed,
after July 31, 1978, in a manner constituting an "acoustical change"
under §21.93 unless the acoustical change requirements of part 36 are
complied with.

(2) No flight may be scheduled, or otherwise planned, for takeoff or
landing after 10 p.m. and before 7 a.m. local time.

Sec. 91.821 - Civil supersonic airplanes: Noise limits.

Except for Concorde airplanes having flight time before January 1,
1980, no person may operate in the United States, a civil supersonic
airplane that does not comply with Stage 2 noise limits of part 36 in
effect on October 13, 1977, using applicable trade-off provisions.

Appendix B to Part 91 - Authorizations to Exceed Mach 1 (§91.817)

Section 1. Application

(a) An applicant for an authorization to exceed Mach 1 must apply in a
form and manner prescribed by the Administrator and must comply with
this appendix.

(b) In addition, each application for an authorization to exceed Mach
1 covered by section 2(a) of this appendix must contain all
information requested by the Administrator necessary to assist him in
determining whether the designation of a particular test area or
issuance of a particular authorization is a "major Federal action
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment" within
the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), and to assist him in complying with that act and
with related Executive Orders, guidelines, and orders prior to such
action.

(c) In addition, each application for an authorization to exceed Mach
1 covered by section 2(a) of this appendix must contain --

(1) Information showing that operation at a speed greater than Mach 1
is necessary to accomplish one or more of the purposes specified in
section 2(a) of this appendix, including a showing that the purpose of
the test cannot be safely or properly accomplished by overocean
testing;

(2) A description of the test area proposed by the applicant,
including an environmental analysis of that area meeting the
requirements of paragraph (b) of this section; and

(3) Conditions and limitations that will ensure that no measurable
sonic boom overpressure will reach the surface outside of the
designated test area.

(d) An application is denied if the Administrator finds that such
action is necessary to protect or enhance the environment.

Section 2. Issuance

(a) For a flight in a designated test area, an authorization to exceed
Mach 1 may be issued when the Administrator has taken the
environmental protective actions specified in section 1(b) of this
appendix and the applicant shows one or more of the following:

(1) The flight is necessary to show compliance with airworthiness
requirements.

(2) The flight is necessary to determine the sonic boom
characteristics of the airplane or to establish means of reducing or
eliminating the effects of sonic boom.

(3) The flight is necessary to demonstrate the conditions and
limitations under which speeds greater than a true flight Mach number
of 1 will not cause a measurable sonic boom overpressure to reach the
surface.

(b) For a flight outside of a designated test area, an authorization
to exceed Mach 1 may be issued if the applicant shows conservatively
under paragraph (a)(3) of this section that --

(1) The flight will not cause a measurable sonic boom overpressure to
reach the surface when the aircraft is operated under conditions and
limitations demonstrated under paragraph (a)(3) of this section; and

(2) Those conditions and limitations represent all foreseeable
operating conditions.

Section 3. Duration

(a) An authorization to exceed Mach 1 is effective until it expires or
is surrendered, or until it is suspended or terminated by the
Administrator. Such an authorization may be amended or suspended by
the Administrator at any time if the Administrator finds that such
action is necessary to protect the environment. Within 30 days of
notification of amendnent, the holder of the authorization must
request reconsideration or the amendnent becomes final. Within 30 days
of notification of suspension, the holder of the authorization must
request reconsideration or the authorization is automatically
terminated. If reconsideration is requested within the 30-day period,
the amendment or suspension continues until the holder shows why the
authorization should not be amended or terminated. Upon such showing,
the Administrator may terminate or amend the authorization if the
Administrator finds that such action is necessary to protect the
environment, or he may reinstate the authorization without amendment
if he finds that termination or amendnent is not necessary to protect
the environment.

(b) Findings and actions by the Administrator under this section do
not affect any certificate issued under title VI of the Federal
Aviation Act of 1958.