FAA Announces ADS-B Out Requirement for Reagan Airport

Acting administrator Chris Rocheleau describes the measure during a Senate hearing on the NTSB’s preliminary report on January’s fatal midair collision.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 05:29 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Jack Daleo

A Black Hawk helicopter over Washington. [Credit: Nicholas Priest/U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

Following a fatal midair collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA), the FAA mandated ADS-B Out transponders for all aircraft in KDCA Class B airspace and barred nonessential helicopter operations, with AI-driven analysis now being applied to other high-traffic airports.
The investigation revealed critical safety issues, including widespread ADS-B Out malfunctions in Army helicopters and the FAA's failure to identify numerous "close calls" at KDCA despite having the data, leading to concerns about delayed action and exemptions.
Significant fragmentation and a lack of data sharing between the FAA, NTSB, and Army were highlighted, with the NTSB reporting exclusion from a key FAA working group and senators criticizing the Army for withholding information.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Acting FAA administrator Chris Rocheleau on Thursday announced new safety measures for Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) in the wake of January’s fatal midair collision between a U.S. Army helicopter and commercial passenger jet, which killed 67 people.

Speaking during a Senate hearing on the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) preliminary report on the incident, Rocheleau revealed that “effective today,” the FAA will require any aircraft traveling in KDCA Class B airspace to turn on Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out transponders.