Sen. Ted Cruz(R-TX) on Tuesday unveiled abillto avoid in-air collisions, six months to the day after a Black Hawk helicoptercrashedinto a commercial airliner heading toward Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, resulting in 67 fatalities.
The legislationseeks to require the installation of collision avoidance technology on all military flights and demand that the Army maintain ADS-B Out and ADS-B In signals continuously. The system functions separate from air traffic control, transmitting the aircraft’s location, altitude, velocity, and additional information.
It is thought that the crash on January 29 occurred because the helicopter was not transmitting ADS-B information. During the time of the incident, Army regulations permitted crews to disable the system for sensitive or classified operations provided the commander gave approval.
Cruz, who leads the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, stated that there should be no exemptions when air travel safety is threatened.
“We must not accept unique exemptions for military training flights flying through busy airspace, regardless of the situation,” he stated during aTuesday press conferenceAny aircraft operating close to commercial air traffic must completely follow safety regulations.
The senator was accompanied by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy. Two families of the deceased were also present.
“Leaders grew careless, and there were alerts about close calls in the D.C. airspace — this is not acceptable,” Duffy stated, noting that he is eager to collaborate with Cruz and his Senate peers to advance the bill.
The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing to examine the reason behind the incident, including whether the helicopter crew disabled the ADS-B system.
The autonomous agency is scheduled to begin a three-day session reviewing the midair collision that occurred in January on Wednesday. The proceedings will concentrate on military helicopter flight paths in the Washington region, anti-collision systems, and training for air traffic controllers at Reagan National Airport, along with other related issues.
The NTSB had previously indicated that the Federal Aviation Administration did not take action on 85 close calls between aircraft and helicopters near Reagan National Airport during the three years prior to the accident. In reaction to the incident, the FAA prohibited helicopter flight paths, including the one where the collision occurred.
Sixty passengers and four crew members lost their lives when American Airlines Flight 5342 crashed into the cold waters of the Potomac River in late January. The Black Hawk aircraft also resulted in the deaths of the two pilots and one crew chief.
American Airlines commended Cruz’s legislation, anticipating that it might enhance air travel safety.
BIPARTISAN HOUSE GROUP PUSHES FOR MODERNIZATION OF ALL MILITARY PLANES FOLLOWING DC ACCIDENT
We remain saddened by the lives lost in the devastating incident involving Flight 5342, and we appreciate Senator Cruz, Secretary Duffy, members of Congress, and all those involved for their contributions to enhancing aviation safety and our national airspace,” said a company representative in a statement. “American Airlines strongly supports these initiatives.
Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Budd (R-NC), Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), and Todd Young (R-IN) supported the legislation.
