U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy today held a press conference to announce that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is accepting both of the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) safety recommendations, including permanently restricting non-essential helicopter operations around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and eliminating mixed helicopter and fixed wing traffic. This is a continuation of the immediate action Secretary Duffy and the FAA took to restrict air space for helicopter operations following the tragic January 29 mid-air collision near DCA.
In his opening remarks, Secretary Duffy also noted the ongoing review the FAA is conducting using A.I. and advanced analytical tools at other airports with high volumes of helicopter traffic to identify potential safety improvements.
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The announcement followed the release of the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report.