Helicopters shall be completely restricted from flying close to Washington, D.C.’s airport on the identical route the place a passenger jet and an Military helicopter collided in midair, killing 67 individuals, the Federal Aviation Administration mentioned Friday.
The transfer comes simply days after federal investigators trying into the reason for the crash advisable a ban on some helicopter flights, saying a string of close to misses lately confirmed that the present setup “poses an insupportable threat.”
The FAA, which manages the nation’s airspace and oversees aviation security, has come underneath criticism after the Nationwide Transportation Security Board mentioned there had been an alarming variety of close to misses lately within the congested skies round Ronald Reagan Nationwide Airport.
The closure of the helicopter route close to the airport makes everlasting the restrictions put in place after the Jan. 29 midair collision. The FAA order will enable a number of exceptions for helicopter use, together with presidential flights together with legislation enforcement and lifesaving missions.
The FAA additionally mentioned it’s learning cities with airports the place there are a excessive variety of several types of plane sharing the identical area, together with eight metro areas with busy helicopter routes: Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles.
It is also taking a look at offshore helicopter operations alongside the Gulf Coast.
The Military helps the FAA’s efforts to enhance aviation security across the nation’s capital and can use “different routes to mitigate impacts on coaching and readiness,” spokesman Matt Ahearn mentioned Friday.
Earlier than the collision, there have been 28 authorities businesses licensed to fly helicopters close to Reagan Nationwide, together with the Division of Protection, army providers, legislation enforcement and emergency medical providers.
The Military Black Hawk concerned within the January crash belonged to the twelfth Aviation Battalion based mostly at Davison Military Air Discipline at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. That unit has a categorised mission to make sure continuity of presidency by getting sure officers to security in case of an assault.
Additionally it is tasked with ferrying high-ranking authorities and army officers to bases all through the area. Earlier than the crash, the now-closed route was an everyday a part of their mission routes and coaching.
The affect on the unit and flights round Reagan Nationwide is anticipated to return up at a March 27 listening to on the Senate Commerce Committee listening to the place Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, director of Military aviation, is anticipated to testify alongside the performing FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau and Nationwide Transportation Security Board chairman Jennifer Homendy.
In a letter to Braman, Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz pressed for solutions on whether or not the Military Black Hawks often function with out transmitting location information, and what number of flights it often carried out to move dignitaries and high-ranking officers.
Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio.
Tara Copp is a Pentagon correspondent for the Related Press. She was beforehand Pentagon bureau chief for Sightline Media Group.
