United States: United States senators criticized the Federal Aviation Administration for not tackling helicopter approaches that created safety risks for commercial aircraft operating near Reagan Washington National Airport for a prolonged period, as reported by Reuters.
Years of Warnings Ignored
The FAA received 15,000 reports of dangerous closeness; why did they do nothing? During a hearing before the Senate Commerce Aviation Subcommittee on the fatal January 29 collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines (AAL.O) regional passenger jet that killed 67 people near Reagan Washington National Airport, Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell questioned, “How were these helicopter routes allowed to remain when alarm bells were literally going off in the towers?”
MS Rocheleau, as acting FAA Administrator, expressed concern about the data collection. Rocheleau stated that something fundamental went unrecognized during this situation. The National Transportation Safety Board documented that since 2021, commercial airplanes and helicopters intruded inside a gap of less than one nautical mile laterally and below 400 feet vertically for 15,200 incidents, while 85 close-call events occurred.
The National Transportation Safety Board demanded a permanent FAA restriction on helicopter flight operations near Reagan National Airport because previous FAA policies allowed aircraft to approach each other too closely.
US Senators Blast FAA for Failing to Act Earlier on Helicopters Near Airplanes https://t.co/ICWVQcRXGS
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Senators Demand Answers on FAA Inaction
“Why did the FAA allow a helicopter route to come within 75 feet of a runway approach?” asked Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration established permanent flight restrictions this month.
FAA Finally Acts After Fatal Crash
Senators questioned why the U.S. Army typically refused to use the crucial safety platform ADS-B during helicopter operations near Washington Airport, as reported by Reuters.
Republican Jerry Moran, chair of the Senate aviation panel, questioned why more had not been done. “What did not happen at the FAA that would have highlighted this problem earlier?” Moran inquired. “Congress must make sure that this never occurs again.”