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2w ago

FAA Ends ‘See and Avoid’ Near Major Airports, Mandates Radar Separation

The change follows a yearlong safety review prompted by the 2025 DCA midair collision, with recent near-misses cited as evidence of nationwide risk.

Part of a Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided with an American Airlines jet is pulled out of the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Feb. 6, 2025.
Family members of the people who were killed in the midair collision near Washington Reagan National Airport listen during a news conference as Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., speaks, not shown, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
Black Hawk helicopters over DCA
Search and rescue teams work near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the aftermath of the collision of American Eagle flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into the Potomac River, outside Washington, U.S., January 31, 2025.

Overview

  • Air traffic controllers must now use radar to keep helicopters and airplanes separated by defined lateral or vertical distances in Class B and Class C airspace and Terminal Radar Service Areas.
  • The directive applies to more than 150 busy airports, expanding restrictions first implemented around Washington National after the fatal 2025 collision that killed 67 people.
  • DOT and FAA warned helicopter operators may face reroutes or delays, while urgent medical or law-enforcement flights can receive priority handling that may temporarily affect airline operations.
  • Officials highlighted two recent close calls: an American Airlines landing conflicted with a police helicopter at San Antonio on Feb. 27 and a Beechcraft 99 converged with a helicopter at Hollywood Burbank on March 2.
  • The move stems from a data-driven review, including AI analysis of thousands of incidents from 2021–2024, and aligns with ongoing congressional efforts such as the ROTOR Act and the proposed ALERT Act.