FAA Implements New Radar Guidelines to Prevent Midair Collisions
In an effort to enhance aviation safety, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that air traffic controllers will now utilize radar systems, rather than relying solely on visual checks, to maintain safe distances between helicopters and airplanes. This change follows a tragic midair collision near Washington, D.C. last year.
Previously, guidelines required pilots to visually separate helicopters from airplanes. However, recent near-collisions have demonstrated that these measures are insufficient at busy airports, prompting the FAA to mandate radar usage to enforce specific lateral or vertical separations. This new requirement extends to over 150 of the nation’s busiest airports, building on a restriction already implemented at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford explained the rationale, stating, “Today, we are proactively mitigating risks before they affect the traveling public. Following the mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), we looked at similar operations across the national airspace. We identified an overreliance on pilot ‘see and avoid’ operations that contribute to safety events involving helicopters and airplanes.”
Officials highlighted recent incidents that underscore the need for the new guidelines. On February 27, a police helicopter had to maneuver to avoid an American Airlines flight at San Antonio International Airport in Texas. Similarly, on March 2, a helicopter had to change course to steer clear of a small aircraft landing at California’s Hollywood Burbank Airport.
The January 2025 collision, which involved an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, resulted in the deaths of 67 people, marking it as the deadliest aviation accident on U.S. soil since 2001. Investigations revealed that air traffic controllers at the Reagan tower relied too heavily on pilots’ visual checks, contributing to the crash.
On the night of the incident, the controller granted the Black Hawk’s request for visual separation twice, but investigators believe the helicopter pilots never saw the American Airlines plane as it descended to land on a less commonly used runway.
A significant number of the victims were young figure skaters, along with their parents and coaches, who were returning from a development camp in Wichita, Kansas, following the U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
