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