The FAA advised Congress it’s reviewing the Military helicopter’s route within the ‘lack of separation’ incident to find out if it violated an settlement.
The Military has suspended helicopter flights into and across the Pentagon after an incident final week involving a navy helicopter flying near Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport (DCA) that resulted in air site visitors management aborting the landings of two business flights.
The Could 5 suspension, which can have an effect on helicopter operations out of the twelfth Aviation Battalion, was confirmed to The Epoch Instances by a Division of Protection official on Monday.
That battalion is tasked with evacuating high political officers in instances of emergency.
In late January, one among its Black Hawk helicopters was concerned within the deadly midair collision with a business jet close to Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport, which killed all 67 individuals on board each plane.
In an announcement despatched to NTD Information, sister media of The Epoch Instances, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the incident and mentioned it and the Nationwide Transportation Security Board would examine.
“Our helicopter restrictions round DCA are crystal clear. I’ll be speaking to the Division of Protection to ask why the [expletive] our guidelines had been disregarded.”
Duffy, referring to January’s lethal midair collision close to Reagan nationwide airport, warned that security protocols should be enforced with out exception.
“Security should ALWAYS come first,” he wrote. “We simply misplaced 67 souls! No extra helicopter rides for VIPs or pointless coaching in a congested DCA airspace filled with civilians. Take a taxi or Uber—apart from, most VIPs have black automotive service.”
The incident additionally prompted bipartisan condemnation amongst lawmakers who’re investigating the January midair collision, amongst different shut calls at what is likely one of the nation’s busiest airports.
“I imagine it’s time for the FAA to behave swiftly and assert management over the nationwide airspace so the Military stops working air taxis for navy officers close to Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport,” Cruz added.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), rating member on the Commerce Committee, criticized the truth that the identical Military brigade was once more flying a helicopter too near Reagan nationwide airport simply months after January’s deadly midair collision.
“It’s outrageous that solely three months after an Military Black Hawk helicopter tragically collided with a passenger jet, the identical Military brigade once more flew a helicopter too near passenger jets on last method at [the airport].
“This comes lower than per week after this brigade resumed flights within the Nationwide Capital Area. It’s far previous time for Secretary [Pete] Hegseth and the FAA to present our airspace the safety and security consideration it deserves,” she mentioned in an announcement.
In March, the FAA completely closed one key route and banned the usage of two smaller runways on the airport every time helicopters conduct pressing missions or function close by.
The FAA didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark relating to the Military’s determination on Monday to droop helicopter flights into, out of, and across the Pentagon.
Rudy Blalock and Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.