BY MIRABEL ODETA
Two U.S. House committees are set to review comprehensive aviation safety reform legislation on Thursday in response to recommendations issued after a January 2025 collision that killed 67 people. The crash involved an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport, marking the deadliest U.S. aviation accident since 2001.
The proposed legislation, known as the ALERT Act, is designed to implement nearly all of the 50 safety recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board after its year-long investigation. The bill will be considered by the House Armed Services Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and aims to address gaps in aviation safety across multiple areas.
Key provisions of the ALERT Act include requirements for equipping both airplanes and helicopters with collision mitigation technologies, improving air traffic control training and procedures, and strengthening oversight of airspace around busy airports, including Reagan National. Lawmakers and families of victims have emphasized the urgency of passing reforms to prevent future tragedies.
Last month, the House failed to pass a separate aviation safety measure, the ROTOR Act, despite its unanimous approval in the Senate in December. The ROTOR Act would have required all aircraft operators to install Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) systems by 2031. Under fast-track legislative rules, the House needed a two-thirds majority to pass the bill, but it fell short by a single vote after the Pentagon withdrew support.
The NTSB noted that the earlier version of the ALERT Act did not fully satisfy its recommendations. The new version now under committee review mandates the installation of airborne collision avoidance systems on commercial planes by the end of 2031 and the use of ADS-B technology. It also calls for a review of flight frequency at Reagan National, which has the nation’s single busiest runway, to determine whether current traffic levels can be safely accommodated.
The ROTOR Act and the ALERT Act share similar goals, including enhancing oversight of commercial jet and helicopter operations near major airports. If the House approves the ALERT Act, congressional leaders would likely work to reconcile differences between the two bills before final legislation can be enacted.
In the meantime, the Federal Aviation Administration has tightened helicopter safety rules near major airports, limiting certain sight-based operations to maintain safe separation between helicopters and airplanes. These interim measures reflect growing attention to aviation safety in the wake of last year’s fatal collision and a broader push for modernization of U.S. air traffic safety systems.
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