An American Airlines Embraer ERJ-190AR airplane flies past the tower where air traffic controllers work despite not receiving their paychecks, on the 22nd day of a partial government shutdown at Reagan National Airport in Washington.
Joshua Roberts | Reuters
Two U.S.senatorsannounced adealon Thursday onaviationsafetylegislationafter a fatal January collision involving an American Airlinesregional jetand an Army helicopter thatkilled 67 people spurred calls for reform.
Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz, a Republican, and the panel’s top Democrat, Maria Cantwell,unveiled a bipartisanagreement onlegislationrequiring aircraft operators to equip their fleets with an advanced aircraft-tracking technology known as ADS-B by the end of 2031 and othersignificantsafetyreforms, including boosting oversight of mixed jet and helicopter traffic and flight routes near commercial service airports.
The agreementfirst reported by Reutersclears the way for a bipartisan vote by the committee Tuesday.It is unclear when the U.S. House of Representatives may take up the bill dubbed the ROTOR Act.
Cruz cited the families of the victims of the Jan. 29 collision, which praised the agreement.
“We owe it to them and every traveling American to make sure another accident never happens again,” Cruz said, calling the provisions “common-sensesafetyimprovements that are long overdue.”
The bill would require theuse of ADS-B bymilitary helicopters near civilian planes and theuse of ADS-B for all civilian aircraft. The helicopter involved in the accident was notusing ADS-B at the time of the January collisionnear Reagan Washington National Airport.
ADS-B, or automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, is an advanced surveillance technology that transmits an aircraft’s location.
Cantwell said the language ensures the ADS-B requirements “are truly implemented after 17 years of delay with no FAA loopholes.”
She added the bill on passage eliminates exemptions from ADS-Buse by military helicopters for training flights, proficiency flights, and flights of federal officials below cabinet rank.
Lawmakers from both parties andTransportation Secretary Sean Duffyhave questioned why the FederalAviationAdministration failed to act for years to address close calls involving military helicopters near Reagan.
The bill would require comprehensive nationwide airportsafetyreviewsat Reagan and other major airportsto evaluate risks from military aircraft, helicopters, drones and flying air taxis to commercial flights.
Lawmakers from both parties andTransportation Secretary Sean Duffyhave questioned why the FAAfailed to act for years to address close calls involving military helicopters near Reagan.
The bill alsorequire the Army Inspector General’s Office to initiate asafetycoordination audit after it declined to do soand requires binding memorandums between the FAA and all military services to shareaviationsafetyinformation from military mishap reporting systems.
The FAA in April said it would require ADS-Buse near Reagan National by government helicopters, and in May it barred the Armyfrom helicopter flights around the Pentagonafter a close call.
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