Duffy is urging a complete rebuild of the aviation infrastructure within the next four years.
The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) recommendations on helicopter limits near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) are being implemented by the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), which aims to propose a bold plan to update the technology used for air traffic control and the National Airspace System (NAS). Sean Duffy, transportation secretary, delivered these remarks during a news conference on March 11 after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its preliminary report and chair Jennifer Homendy briefed the media on the January airborne incident at KDCA.
“We restricted this airspace thirty-six hours after the crash, and we’re going to continue with those restrictions,” Duffy stated. The crash site was located just off Runway 33, which is the stretch from Haynes Point to the Wilson Bridge. We will notify airmen of the precise instructions for flying this route. Earlier today, I talked with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about allowing the DOD to fly over this restricted airspace. I believe the military will be OK with this.
He continued that the vice president and the president will be exempt from certain travel restrictions, and the NOTAM will contain specifics regarding law enforcement and life-saving missions.
As Duffy pointed out, Helicopter Route 4 between Haynes Point and the Wilson Bridge must continue to be restricted, using Homendy’s provided image, which shows no airspace separation at KDCA.
He says there have been 85 near misses or close calls in the past 2.5 years. These incidents occurred within 200 feet of vertical separation and 1,500 feet of lateral separation, which is highly close to aircraft. “The question that arises is, how could the FAA have been unaware when this data was made available?”
According to Duffy, the FAA is now using AI techniques to evaluate data and avoid repeat disasters. The agency can utilize AI to sort through reports and data to identify problem areas in the airspace and at airports. He assured them that their AI technologies would help them detect any future DCA-like situations and implement preventative measures rather than reactive ones. The study will start with safety statistics from 12 large airports before expanding to the entire country.
A proposal to rapidly update the NAS and ATC systems is also being considered. Duffy has advocated for a complete overhaul of the ATC system within four years, replacing its outdated copper wiring and floppy disks with fiber, wireless, radar, and satellite technology.
Secretary Duffy promised to engage with Congress to acquire the financing for the air traffic control system modernization, which he estimated may cost tens of billions of dollars, in order to speed up the process. Even though he agreed that the government should be leaner, he stressed how important it was that the sector modernize its infrastructure.
“We will not perform a partial upgrade,” Duffy declared. A state-of-the-art, brand-new system is what we’re going to give you. America here. It is our due… The American people and Congress want it, and I’ll show them we can accomplish it with a proposal I’m going to propose.
“I believe the promises that have been made for over a decade that have never come to fruition can actually happen,” he added later to emphasize the point. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that President Trump operates on a different timeline and recruits a distinct pool of talent to assist in achieving the objectives of his government. Rest assured, we will make use of this skill.
“The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association commends Secretary Sean Duffy for his remarks and efforts today regarding aviation safety and his determination to upgrade our country’s air traffic control system promptly,” stated the president of the organization.