Army Suspends Helicopter Flights Near Reagan National After Close Calls

The U.S. Army will region chopper flights adjacent Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), The Associated Press reports, citing 2 anonymous Army sources acquainted pinch nan matter. The determination comes days aft Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) controllers had to unit 2 commercialized jets to abort landings owed to an Army Black Hawk flying to nan Pentagon.

On Thursday, May 1, nan Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion was operating a Black Hawk chopper and took an unapproved way adjacent nan Pentagon, causing 2 commercialized flights — a Delta Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170 — to abort their landings owed to proximity to nan helicopter.

Chris Senn, nan FAA’s adjunct administrator for authorities and manufacture affairs, said nan chopper “took a scenic way astir nan Pentagon versus proceeding straight from nan westbound to nan heliport,” Politico reported.

Recent fatal clang heightens scrutiny

This suspension follows heightened information concerns aft a deadly midair collision connected Jan. 29, betwixt a subject Black Hawk chopper and a commercialized jet, resulting successful 67 fatalities. The FAA had already imposed restrictions connected chopper flights adjacent DCA aft that incident.

The 12th Battalion’s Priority Air Transport helicopters service apical Pentagon officials. In January, it was a Black Hawk Priority Air Transport, PAT25, that collided pinch nan rider jet.

In March, National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said location were 85 adjacent calls betwixt helicopters and planes adjacent DCA successful nan 3 years earlier January’s deadly crash.

New FAA restrictions and ongoing investigations

The Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion is now nether soul investigation. The FAA had already implemented airspace restrictions, including closing a superior way and limiting nan usage of secondary runways erstwhile chopper missions are underway, aft January’s deadly crash.

Additional incidents punctual concern

In abstracted incidents connected Sunday morning, May 4, nan FAA forced 3 commercialized jets to abort their original landings astatine DCA owed to a constabulary chopper successful nan airspace.

In a statement, nan FAA said nan agency “does not let helicopters and airplanes to simultaneously run successful nan airspace astir Reagan Washington National Airport isolated from successful uncommon circumstances. Accordingly, aerial postulation power cancelled landing clearances for 3 flights earlier coming while a constabulary chopper was connected an urgent ngo successful that airspace.”

The FAA added, “All 3 flights landed without incident aft making 2nd approaches.”