Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz announced that the state had finalized an agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration to establish a corridor there to test non-military aircraft flying faster than the speed of sound.
Called the Kansas Supersonic Transportation Corridor (SSTC), the corridor will be a 770-nautical mile racetrack-shaped corridor running the state’s length, at or above an altitude of 39,000 feet. Located entirely in federal airspace over Kansas, the route will support sustained flight up to Mach 3 and is within reach of several airports that can provide fuel, ground, and technical support.
The corridor will give innovators like Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Aerion, Spike, and Boom Aerospace the airspace they need to test supersonic aircraft while reducing the impact of sound on nearby communities, said Bob Brock, KDOT Director of Aviation.
“To be able to deliver this new opportunity for our country is yet another example of Kansas cementing its reputation as a national leader in the aviation industry,” Gov. Kelly said. “This high-altitude flight corridor gives Kansas a strategic advantage in attracting companies involved in the development of supersonic aircraft, and will play a significant role in our state’s ability to encourage economic development as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Senator Jerry Moran, who was instrumental in coordinating with various federal agencies, including the FAA and NASA, said the market for supersonic aircraft was growing and could represent $40 billion in revenue in the coming decade.
“This year marks 73 years since Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier, and with this supersonic flight corridor, Kansas will have a unique role in the next generation of supersonic transportation,” Senator Moran said.