FAA officials are considering a permanent ban on helicopters flying near Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) airspace, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
Following the fatal collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk and an American Airlines regional jet on January 29, the FAA imposed temporary restrictions on helicopter traffic around KDCA, but more lasting regulations may be on the horizon.
However, any permanent changes would require approval from other federal agencies. The Journal reports that both the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense must be involved, as these helicopter routes have long been used by government entities.
Beyond Reagan, the FAA is also reviewing airspace at other airports with high volumes of both helicopter and airplane traffic.
Meanwhile, a Washington Post investigation found that airline pilots near Reagan National Airport received more than 100 cockpit warnings about potential midair collisions with helicopters over the past decade, highlighting the ongoing safety risks.
According to the Post, air traffic controllers had previously raised concerns about the close proximity of planes and helicopters, even recommending safety improvements as early as 2020. However, the FAA made few adjustments to helicopter flight paths until after last month’s crash.
The agency has stated it would revisit helicopter restrictions once the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issues a preliminary report on the accident in the coming weeks.
Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.
