Moran introduces legislation in response to deadly Kansas flight crash near DC airport
WASHINGTON (KCTV) - Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran has introduced legislation to improve flight safety in high-volume airspaces following a deadly January crash near Reagan Airport in Washington, DC.
Moran, who is chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation, proposed legislation that would require all aircraft operating in Class B airspace to install and use Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) In and Out.
Class B airspace is designated for high-volume airspace that typically surrounds some of America’s busiest airports, including Reagan Airport. In a release shared Friday, Moran noted the Secretary of Transportation currently may grant exemptions to certain aircraft to fly in congested airspace with ADS-B systems.
Moran’s legislation would prohibit those exemptions from being granted.
“The tragic midair collision on January 29 and the two recent near misses at Reagan National Airport demonstrate an urgent need for improvements to aviation safety to make certain the airspace near some of our nation’s busiest airports are safe,” Moran said. “This legislation will make certain aircraft in airspace like DCA are transmitting and receiving important tracking data to protect themselves and help air traffic control better conduct landings and takeoffs.
READ MORE: What is known about the collision between a enger jet and Army helicopter near DC
“The Army and the FAA must fully cooperate with the National Transportation Safety Board as they continue their investigations, and the flight restrictions around DCA must remain in place until all investigations are complete.”
The legislation follows the January crash, which killed 67 people after an American Airlines enger jet collided with an Army helicopter.
Following the crash, the NTSB found out the military helicopter was not transmitting ADS-B Out. The FAA announced in March a requirement that all aircraft flying in the Class B airspace around DCA turn on ADS-B Out.
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