U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced Tuesday that crucial aviation safety legislation has passed out of the Senate Commerce Committee in response to the Jan. 29 mid-air collision near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people.
The Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act, or ROTOR Act, passed unanimously and addresses systemic failures identified in the crash between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River.
“Congress owes it to the traveling public to address the systemic flaws that contributed to the January 29 crash over the Potomac River,” the Virginia Democrats said in a joint statement. “This bipartisan legislation is a good step forward.”
The collision exposed multiple safety gaps, including the Black Hawk’s failure to transmit ADS-B technology — radio systems that allow aircraft to share their positions with each other and air traffic control. Investigators also identified unsafe route designs for mixed traffic near DCA and lack of coordination between the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Defense.
The legislation includes critical measures Warner and Kaine backed in earlier legislation introduced in June.
The bill mandates a 2031 deadline for aircraft operators to equip planes with ADS-B In technology, which provides pilots with traffic advisories to reduce collision risks. It also eliminates many Defense Department exemptions that previously allowed military aircraft to fly near DCA and other busy airports without transmitting their location.
Training flights, proficiency flights, and flights carrying federal officials below Cabinet rank will no longer qualify for exemptions under the bill.
The measure also requires comprehensive FAA safety reviews of DCA and other major airports, enhanced coordination between the FAA and the Defense Department, and an Army Inspector General audit of policies related to the crash.
