After 2 Aborted Jet Landings In DC, Army Pauses Helicopter Training Flights Around Pentagon

The ongoing conversation over aviation safety reached a boiling point in January after the fatal mid-air collision over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., but it seems like some things haven’t changed. The U.S. Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion is once again pausing its helicopter training flights around the Pentagon, after two commercial planes aborted landing last Thursday at Reagan National Airport because of a nearby Black Hawk helicopter. The Federal Aviation Administration permanently banned non-essential helicopter operations around the airport after the crash. However, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy claims that the Army is ignoring the safety rules in place.

The FAA stated that airport air traffic control told a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer 170 to go around on Thursday afternoon. The instruction was given in response to an Army helicopter that was ordered to go around by air traffic control at the Pentagon. The military unit has only recently resumed flights around the Pentagon. Federal authorities are not investigating the incident. According to Reuters, Senator Ted Cruz said:

“The Army is once again putting the traveling public at risk… It’s time for the FAA to act swiftly and assert control over the national airspace so the Army stops running air taxis for military officials near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.”

Legislators and Trump administration officials are frustrated that the Army has seemingly ignored the measure intended to prevent another fatal mid-air collision. The Army claims that its helicopter was following the FAA’s established flight routes. Regarding last week’s incident, Duffy said, “No more helicopter rides for VIPs or unnecessary training in a congested DCA airspace full of civilians. Take a taxi or Uber – besides most VIPs have black car service.” As the Transportation Secretary implies, many D.C. officials believe that the Pentagon is using training flights as a cover to operate shuttle services for VIPs. 

January’s mid-air collision killed all 67 people onboard American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. It was the country’s deadliest aviation disaster since American Airlines Flight 587 plunged into a New York City neighborhood in November 2001. The federal government has attempted to reassure the public that it’s safe to fly by touting a surge in candidate air traffic controllers. Still, frequent flyers haven’t been comforted by persistent delays at many major international airports, like Newark-Liberty this week.