Summary
- Two
U.S. senators announce bipartisan aviation safety deal. - Triggered
by fatal January crash killing 67 people. - Bill
mandates ADS-B advanced tracking on military, civilian aircraft.
A bipartisan agreement on legislation requiring aircraft
operators to equip their fleets with advanced aircraft-tracking technology
known as ADS-B by the end of 2031, along with other safety reforms, is being
approached by Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz, a Republican, and Maria
Cantwell, the panel’s top Democrat.
The deal would pave the path for next week’s bipartisan
committee vote. When the U.S. House of Representatives could consider the
measure is unknown.
According to the bill, every commercial aircraft would have
to use ADS-B, and military helicopters would have to use it when they are close
to civilian aircraft. When the accident occurred in January close to Reagan Washington
National Airport, the helicopter involved was not using ADS-B.
It would do away with military helicopters’ exemptions from
ADS-B use for competency, training, and flights by federal officials lower than
cabinet status.
Along with requiring
thorough worldwide airport safety reviews not just at Reagan the measure is
also anticipated to assess the hazards posed to commercial flights by military
aircraft, helicopters, drones, emergency first responders, and powered lift
operations.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and lawmakers of both
parties have questioned why the F.A.A. did nothing for years to resolve
near-misses involving military helicopters near Reagan.
The law also calls for legally binding memorandums between
the FAA and the Army Inspector General’s Office, which was required to start a
safety coordination audit after declining to do so.
What safety features does the bipartisan aviation bill
entail?
One requirement mandates that all civilian planes and
military helicopters flying in close proximity to civilian planes be equipped
with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology by the end
of 2031. This improves situational awareness and communications through
real-time tracking of aircraft and is designed to reduce the risk of a
catastrophic collision.
Establishes new requirements for cockpit voice recorders to
capture the last twenty-five hours of audio for investigatory purposes and to
enhance safety.
Establishment of modernized surface detection technology
that can track aircraft and vehicles on runways and taxiways to mitigate runway
incursions and collisions.
Opportunity for increased FAA oversight of aircraft design,
manufacturing, and foreign repair stations, with improved transparency,
accountability, and compliance in response to FAA oversight.
