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FAA has temporarily barred most helicopters near DC

airport

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US Army helicopter collided with airliner on January 29

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, March 3 (Reuters) - A group representing

U.S. airlines plans to urge federal aviation officials to

permanently reduce helicopter traffic around Reagan National

Airport outside Washington, D.C., following a January collision

by an Army Black Hawk into an American Airlines ( AAL ) regional jet

that killed 67 people.

Airlines for America, in written testimony prepared for a

U.S. House of Representatives hearing on Tuesday, calls on the

Federal Aviation Administration to permanently suspend some

helicopter routes near the airport with limited exceptions for

essential military or medical emergencies.

The testimony, seen by Reuters, also calls for military

aircraft to be required to use a key safety system known as

ADS-B near large airports in which aircraft determine and

broadcast their position using satellite navigation to avoid

collisions.

Airlines for America represents American, Delta Air

Lines ( DAL ), United Airlines, Southwest Airlines ( LUV )

and other airlines.

The FAA has temporarily barred most helicopters near the airport

- located in Arlington, Virginia, across the Potomac River from

the U.S. capital - since the crash pending a preliminary report

due out this month from the National Transportation Safety

Board.

The Black Hawk, carrying a crew of three, collided with the

airliner, carrying 64 passengers and crew members, on the night

of January 29, with the wreckage plunging into the river. There

were no survivors.

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz said the Army helicopter was operating

with its ADS-B turned off, which is permitted by the FAA for

military aircraft.

Airlines for America wants the FAA to evaluate whether any

helicopter routes that could conflict with airplane flights at

Reagan could be moved farther away from commercial traffic.

The group also urged an immediate FAA review of air traffic

near large airports.

"The FAA should conduct an immediate review of identified

potential hot spots of conflicting air traffic operating near

large airports," the group said in the testimony, adding that

the agency should be able to "to suspend or eliminate traffic

routes if unnecessary risk exists."

The FAA declined to comment on the testimony but noted that it

is conducting a review of helicopter routes near other airports.

The FAA is due to review the existing restrictions once the NTSB

preliminary report is issued.

The FAA is allowing only presidential transport and emergency

police or medical helicopters near the airport and banning

civilian flights whenever President Donald Trump's helicopter is

flying nearby. These restrictions have significantly impacted

flights.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy in a February 5 speech in

Washington called for ending non-essential military helicopter

flights near the airport.

"If we have generals who are flying in helicopters for

convenience through this airspace, that's not acceptable. Get a

damn Suburban (vehicle) and drive - you don't need to take a

helicopter," Duffy said.