Bipartisan leaders in the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) and Armed Services Committees (ASC) said numerous stakeholders have expressed their support for comprehensive legislation addressing aviation safety issues.
The legislation, H.R. 7613, the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act, addresses issues raised by the mid-air collision between a commercial flight and a U.S. Army helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Introduced into the House on Feb. 20 by U.S. Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO), chair of the T&I Committee; Rick Larsen (R-WA), T&I Committee ranking member; Mike Rogers (R-AL), ASC committee chair; and Adam Smith (D-WA), ASC committee ranking member, the legislation addresses safety-related recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), after its investigation into the incident.
The legislation is supported by Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Airlines for America, the Allied Pilots Association, National Business Aviation Association and many others.
“ The ALERT Act takes a holistic approach in making safety improvements across our aviation system and recognizes the need to act with urgency as the use of airspace continues to grow and becomes more complex. A4A will continue to work with all stakeholders toward our shared responsibility of keeping aviation the safest mode of transportation in the world,” Airlines for America said in a statement.
The legislation establishes requirements for equipping collision mitigation, avoidance and alerting technologies and systems for civil fixed-wing and rotorcraft, improves helicopter route design, guidance and separation, addresses deficiencies in the FAA’s safety culture, and enhances air traffic control training and procedures, especially during high traffic, among other actions.