Honeywell and Nasa have jointly concluded a two-year test that could enable wider adoption of supersonic jet flights by the aviation industry.

Conducted on commercial airspace, the test programme has helped determine the most effective way to show pilots flying supersonic jets where people on the ground may hear sonic booms.

During the test, Nasa's Cockpit Interactive Sonic Boom Display Avionics software and Honeywell's Interactive Navigation technology have been integrated into a business jet's avionics suite, which enables pilots to predict sonic booms over the aircraft's future planned flight path.

“This plane is being designed to gather community noise response data that may help remove the regulatory speed restriction to overland commercial supersonic flight.”

The integrated technologies also provide pilots with actionable information and visuals to assess the boom impact of a flight plan, as well as display trajectories before the boom is generated that prevent the loud sound from disturbing populated areas.

Although sonic booms are currently restricting wide adoption of supersonic flights, it is noted that flying at supersonic speeds would enable pilots to reduce business jet travel times by half.

Nasa overland supersonic flight commercial supersonic technology subproject manager Brett Pauer said: “This technology could prove to be useful for Nasa's future planned Low Boom Flight Demonstration experimental airplane.

“This plane is being designed to gather community noise response data that may help remove the regulatory speed restriction to overland commercial supersonic flight.”

According to Honeywell, pilots can change course and reduce the boom over populated areas using predictive technology and knowledge.