[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6084859,"mediaKeyId","2907359-4abc80dea15ab7fbc3d94dbfe8fbf717","parentId",2907359,"title","FAA tells senators it will require ADS‑B at DCA, hire controllers and probe spectrum interference","audioSeconds",5361,"startMs",2935000,"endMs",8296000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2907359-4abc80dea15ab7fbc3d94dbfe8fbf717&start=2935&end=8296","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2907359-4abc80dea15ab7fbc3d94dbfe8fbf717/thumbnail_2935000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6084859/FAA-tells-senators-it-will-require-ADSB-at-DCA-hire-controllers-and-probe-spectrum-interference","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6084859-332a4bfd1dd50e2d7717b0cd526aef82/orig.mp4?Expires=1770873048&Signature=WzHIHjPImHRXdtmqyhJsYls1VNYA-xthzOWtCfTh3EIGN9Q7iZ2iwTQEdIlYNx1jLn7G5M7QKH8rBAX2GcqlMqx3V5zx5B5Q9P7BwntpV78f-EwvgMy0qXjz~xP83fIwn8AIVaBas-35z8MbPXbvRF3-eefgPFFf-pg~lFlATPEXhsab309xBTLRNuLIOn8LpZpe6LCQGThRjMI8r9AirGQqem-rASjanhlN5SFe6sUswXI-ALvRAYrvJwISKSF6wVIWwwMrknBFNvJIs5Bi8yZmIrNiNmRtZjxn~5f54PkKPDUWj48Peyz6HECZ0WfGO0a~CflsQd8Un0anu1Ymlg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, & Transportation","date","2025-03-27T00:00:00Z","article","Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau told the Senate subcommittee that aviation safety is the agency’s top priority and outlined immediate steps the FAA has taken after the Jan. 29 midair collision near Reagan National Airport.

Rocheleau said the FAA accepted the NTSB’s urgent safety recommendations and adopted the agency’s post‑accident restrictions as permanent measures for portions of DCA Class B airspace. He announced that all aircraft operating in DCA Class B airspace will be required to transmit ADS‑B Out, subject to very limited exceptions for essential national security or emergency operations.

The acting administrator described a multi‑part response: a national hotspot review of airports with mixed helicopter and fixed‑wing traffic, an internal safety risk management panel, and enhanced analysis using machine learning and natural‑language tools to surface trends in incident reporting. Rocheleau said the FAA is reviewing offshore helicopter operations and plans to take immediate action where the review identifies safety risks.

Staffing and capacity: Rocheleau told senators the FAA has “over 10,750 controllers on the job with over 3,000 in training” and that the agency intends to hire another 2,000 controllers this year, expand recruiting partnerships with universities and speed hiring processes. He said the FAA increased incentives and academy pay and had received over 10,000 applications during a recent hiring surge.

Airspace operations at DCA: Rocheleau said the agency reduced arrival rates to support the investigation and controller workload and currently operates DCA at a 30‑arrivals‑per‑hour rate while monitoring conditions. He also said the FAA has eliminated certain helicopter route segments (Routes 4 and 6) tied to NTSB recommendations and will continue to coordinate route redesign work with military and other stakeholders.

Spectrum interference and TCAS advisories: Senator Cruz told the committee that multiple commercial aircraft received TCAS resolution advisories in the weeks after the crash; Cruz reported FAA findings that the Secret Service and U.S. Navy were testing counter‑drone equipment using spectrum adjacent to TCAS frequencies and that the tests caused false advisories. Rocheleau confirmed the agency’s assessment and said he expects the committee to investigate the events.

Why it matters: Senators emphasized that the FAA must close enforcement, data‑sharing and analytic gaps to prevent future tragedies. Several members also pushed the administration to accelerate FAA modernization funding and staffing to sustain NextGen upgrades and other safety investments.

The acting administrator said the FAA will continue working with the NTSB, DoD and other stakeholders and will provide requested documents and briefings to the committee as part of oversight follow‑up.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","\"NTSB Preliminary Report: The DCA Midair Collision\"","oneSentenceSummary","Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau told the Senate subcommittee the agency will require ADS‑B Out in DCA Class B airspace, step up controller hiring and investigate spectrum interference that triggered in‑cockpit collision warnings after the crash.","taxTitle","Commerce, Science, and Transportation: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1990,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6084864,"Army says ADS‑B off was authorized for some missions; committee presses for policy and data",5948,3248000,9196000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2907359-4abc80dea15ab7fbc3d94dbfe8fbf717&start=3248&end=9196","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2907359-4abc80dea15ab7fbc3d94dbfe8fbf717/thumbnail_3248000.jpg","/articles/6084864/Army-says-ADSB-off-was-authorized-for-some-missions-committee-presses-for-policy-and-data","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6084864-cdaa4d33ed79a1911de1004584986cfd/orig.mp4?Expires=1770873048&Signature=Gtk-Y8eAeGgr5elew6xbLHI0x7yedr-Tn03AcHhbNyfJMbTrdVypnPVziV2rpOVNvMAGkIHSfwuQu1U499t8~Ody923v7oh7TTys--TYrhDG~Gf4lZfMTFsTnu-j1X7CzMLbaorRgLvI9C8mfRjuPVNNiWr6PfoXmJtGlBo083801m-kPbS3sBzJavu6dS17U0ntUlhb6Tvl~z7Tq3u9mVlPEXIPppVFzLeg-uHZF9q5OC3b5orf7BOo23VAilvt1XG-6IE1Ruzrn6SWCIQ~A~aJHxq2~JUiNZrRKUTRCF~anLBZv3r8L2oPGPLaRFV6Zd09SpKz7aJKCRdKAykiLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Brigadier General Matthew Brahman, director of Army Aviation, told the Senate subcommittee that the Army operates under FAA authority within the National Capital Region but that certain missions approved for continuity of government and national security can be authorized to operate without broadcasting ADS‑B Out. He said the crew of the Black Hawk involved in the Jan. 29 collision was qualified and that the unit paused operations immediately after the accident.

Brahman described the twelfth Aviation Battalion’s mission at Fort Belvoir and said roughly three‑quarters of that battalion’s flights support continuity‑of‑government rehearsal and readiness tasks. He told senators that the unit’s aircraft transponders were set to transmit required Mode 3/A and Mode S information while inside Class B airspace, but that ADS‑B Out operation and the functional status of ADS‑B equipment for some aircraft are under active investigation.

Senators repeatedly pressed the Army for specifics. Senator Tammy Duckworth asked whether the Army can identify how many close calls at DCA involved Army helicopters; Brahman said the databases are not currently shared but that the Army is interested in data sharing. Senator Ted Cruz and others demanded the Army’s internal memo describing ADS‑B‑off operations; Brahman said he would “review the information and get what we can to you,” and later clarified that the memo could be made available but that portions may be part of ongoing investigations.

Brahman told the committee the Army has elevated approval authority for ADS‑B‑off operations to a higher command level following the accident and that the twelfth Aviation Battalion paused flights within a seven‑nautical‑mile radius of DCA while resuming limited operations outside that radius. He also said the Army is participating in an FAA‑led working group to redesign Route 4 as recommended by the NTSB, and that the service has issued interim guidance to elevate authorization levels for ADS‑B‑off missions.

Clarifying details the Army provided to the NTSB and committee during the hearing included counts for its battalion’s fleet and transmission behavior: the battalion has 25 helicopters, a mix of aircraft types; some aircraft transmitted ADS‑B data when turned on, while others had not transmitted to FAA ground stations for months. The NTSB reported that the accident helicopter had not transmitted ADS‑B data to an FAA ground station for about 730 days before the crash; Army and NTSB staff described ongoing checks to determine whether that reflected installation, equipment or telemetry issues.

Why it matters: Senators said routine or routine‑like exemptions to ADS‑B Out undermine collision‑avoidance safeguards, especially in congested airspace. Senator Maria Cantwell called the continued broad use of ADS‑B‑off operations “shocking and deeply unacceptable” and urged the Army to change policy immediately if it did not voluntarily do so. Brahman said the Army is prepared to review and change policy as appropriate but that any formal changes should be informed by investigative findings.

The committee asked the Army to provide written materials and data the senators requested; the Army agreed to review and supply documents where possible while noting that certain materials are part of ongoing investigations.","Brigadier General Matthew Brahman told senators the Army approves some ADS‑B‑off operations for national security missions and upgraded the approval level after the Jan. 29 crash; senators demanded the Army's policy memo and clearer data on how often exemptions are used.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6084869,"NTSB preliminary report cites chronic close calls at DCA; recommends permanent helicopter-route changes",2039,886000,2925000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2907359-4abc80dea15ab7fbc3d94dbfe8fbf717&start=886&end=2925","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2907359-4abc80dea15ab7fbc3d94dbfe8fbf717/thumbnail_886000.jpg","/articles/6084869/NTSB-preliminary-report-cites-chronic-close-calls-at-DCA-recommends-permanent-helicopter-route-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6084869-48d60259b0ff104d7463e02198c95371/orig.mp4?Expires=1770873048&Signature=a3ud0GiGJUbui2tx0mzrvbqhKj93uIIJsEqmX2s~Fx5itMpPLVfJraz7874U4Z43YRvspM8oz9N4vayrYPZthmtnEK0i1FuJISCYP8iAPI1coX-6Rv9A2JKF3Hx1s1wQcQxn8C09f8j3-cQPJlegADpCYS0cbyYAomLvaJHbJLSosVfub8Ssa1LVTBl~vPRfGeaMeAuRQ3opFJClE4RReziwCERcZBbpfxIUkjsYxzrN-VTOnpPq5yn4Lv3YDgK1tcz92JrcQvlO6JccKu1AwqTGZBalP0hTBI9a-Y~xP9BxlUP7c2Ji~SrmvOQeXGXVkgXYHzAWOYTuNTJBMNQtmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Subcommittee on Aviation and Space of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation heard updates on the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation of the Jan. 29 midair collision that killed 67 people and involved an Army Black Hawk and American Airlines Flight 5342.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told the panel that her agency’s preliminary report found more than 15,000 close‑proximity events between helicopters and commercial aircraft at Reagan National Airport (DCA) between October 2021 and December 2024, including 85 occasions with vertical separation under 200 feet. “We determined that the separation distances between helicopter traffic operating on Route 4 and aircraft using Runways 15 and 33 are insufficient,” Homendy said, and the board recommended the FAA prohibit operations on the portion of Helicopter Route 4 between Haynes Point and the Wilson Bridge when those runways are in use.

Why it matters: Committee members said the NTSB data show a systemic risk, not an isolated incident. Ranking Member Tammy Duckworth, a former Black Hawk pilot, described an erosion of the aviation system’s margin of safety and repeated warnings about staffing and technology shortfalls. Senator Ted Cruz and others pressed witnesses on whether the collision could have been prevented had the FAA acted on surveillance and voluntary reporting data earlier.

The FAA’s acting administrator, Chris Rocheleau, told the committee the agency accepted the NTSB’s urgent safety recommendations and had already restricted mixed helicopter and fixed‑wing operations around DCA immediately after the accident. Rocheleau said the FAA will make permanent the restriction of nonessential helicopter operations in portions of DCA’s Class B airspace and will require ADS‑B Out broadcasts in DCA Class B airspace “with very limited exceptions.” He also said the agency is reviewing other airports with mixed helicopter and fixed‑wing activity and is using machine learning tools to surface trends in large data sets of incident reports.

The NTSB emphasized that its preliminary report is strictly factual and does not determine probable cause; the final report is expected within about a year. Homendy said the investigation has involved diving operations, wreckage reconstruction, flight‑recorder analysis and interviews, and that about 40 NTSB investigators are leading the probe.

Committee members repeatedly asked how long the FAA had the surveillance and voluntary reporting data that Homendy cited and why those data apparently did not lead to earlier changes. Homendy said the board requested and analyzed FAA data; she declined to say whether FAA staff had independently reviewed the same data prior to the collision. Rocheleau acknowledged gaps in trend analysis and said the FAA has begun applying new analytic tools to detect emerging hazards faster.

What was urged and ordered: The NTSB recommended permanent closure of the portion of Route 4 when Runways 15 or 33 are in use and requested the FAA identify and publish an alternative helicopter routing. The FAA has accepted the NTSB recommendations and converted its immediate post‑accident restrictions into permanent actions for DCA Class B airspace. The FAA also said it will continue a national “hotspot” review of other airports where helicopter and fixed‑wing routes intersect.

The hearing also made plain that other questions remain open — including why the Black Hawk’s pressure altitude readings were later judged invalid, why the helicopter’s ADS‑B transmissions were not received by FAA ground stations for many days prior to the accident, and whether military exemptions for ADS‑B use were applied broadly. NTSB Chair Homendy said the board will pursue all lines of evidence and issue findings at the conclusion of its investigation.

The hearing closed with lawmakers urging faster, more systematic FAA action on long‑standing safety recommendations and with NTSB reiterating its role as an evidence‑driven investigative authority.

","At a Senate hearing, the National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary findings on the Jan. 29 midair collision near Reagan National Airport and urged the FAA to close a segment of Helicopter Route 4 when Runways 15 or 33 are active; the FAA moved to make several restrictions permanent.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

FAA tells senators it will require ADS‑B at DCA, hire controllers and probe spectrum interference

Army says ADS‑B off was authorized for some missions; committee presses for policy and data

NTSB preliminary report cites chronic close calls at DCA; recommends permanent helicopter-route changes