In the wake of Wednesday’s deadly collision between a United States Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet over the waters of the Potomac River, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is taking the drastic step of restricting helicopters from operating in the airspace near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The news came via Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, who has had an eventful first few days in office.
NEW: With the support of @POTUS and in consultation with the @SecDef, effective today, the @FAANews will restrict helicopter traffic around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport airport.
Today’s decision will immediately help secure the airspace near Reagan Airport, ensuring the safety of airplane and helicopter traffic. This is part of the @USDOT‘s ongoing commitment to safeguarding our nation’s skies and upholding the highest standards of air travel safety. We will continue to support @POTUS‘ directive to achieve uncompromised aviation safety. The American people deserve full confidence in our aviation system and today’s action is a significant step towards restoring that trust.
The restricted area includes:
– Memorial Bridge to South Capitol Street Bridge, excluding the Tidal Basin
– Haines Point to Wilson Bridge
– Over the top of DCA
The area in question runs along the Potomac River from Memorial Bridge north of the airport to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge just to the south. That corridor is made up of numbered routes that control the flow of air traffic around Reagan National; the route numbers in question, Routes 1 and 4, were the ones used by the helicopter and passenger plane on Wednesday.
NEW: FAA Report Has Concerning Info on Control Tower Staffing at Reagan Airport on Day of Crash
Ghoulish Democrats and Press Rush to Blame Trump for Airliner Crash; Here’s Why They’re Wrong
In order for the helicopters to use these routes, they are required to fly at very low altitudes, usually in the 200-300-foot range. This allows the helicopters to fly under the busy airplane traffic flying overhead; once the helicopters clear that area, they can fly at higher altitudes.
Many, including President Donald Trump, are speculating that the Black Hawk was flying too high as it flew near the airport, thus putting it on a collision course with the passenger jet as it made its approach.
Our resident aviation expert, Bonchie, has been providing expert analysis of what he sees in the videos that captured the collision:
As a point of clarity, the regional jet was where it was supposed to be. The Black Hawk’s flight path was the issue, and it never should have been where it was. Further, given that the helicopter appeared to have called the wrong traffic in sight when warned by air traffic control, it’s also very possible they were distracted and not even looking in the right direction when the collision occurred.
The last question (one President Donald Trump himself has raised) revolves around why the Black Hawk was at the wrong altitude, and there are several possible explanations. You can gain a hundred or so feet of altitude in an aircraft in the blink of an eye. That could happen due to a lack of proficiency. It could also happen due to being distracted. It could even happen if they had the wrong altimeter setting, causing them to believe they were lower than they actually were.
Some additional details have trickled out, including the fact that certain helicopter flights will be allowed to continue operating in the airspace in question:
The FAA officials say helicopter traffic near the airport — between the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and the Key Bridge — would be restricted but not completely suspended. A source on Capitol Hill, speaking to NPR on condition of anonymity, said exceptions could be made for medical emergency flights and VIP movements.
The reason this move by the FAA could be considered “drastic” is down to just how much this airspace is used every day by media, medical and military helicopters, not to mention the president’s Marine One often seen flying that way. Local residents are so used to seeing at least a dozen helicopters per day fly past their windows that it’s a part of the daily hum of the DMV.
But, pausing the helicopter traffic looks to be the right call as plenty of as-yet unanswered questions have arisen in the past few days.
If you enjoy RedState’s reporting from a decidedly conservative point of view, you should consider becoming one of our VIPs! Your support helps us to fight the nonsense coming from the left and have fun doing it. You need to be a part of it! Join RedState VIP right now and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off of your membership.
