U.S. Representatives from Virginia, including Suhas Subramanyam, Don Beyer, James Walkinshaw, Bobby Scott, Jennifer McClellan, and Eugene Vindman, have issued a statement expressing concerns about Section 373 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026. This section addresses safety regulations for manned rotary wing aircraft in the aftermath of a fatal mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan National Airport on January 29, 2025, which resulted in 67 deaths.
The lawmakers said: “We share serious concerns raised by the Families of Flight 5342 and the National Transportation Safety Board about Section 373 of the National Defense Authorization Act related to safety in the airspace around National Airport following the tragic collision in January. We are deeply disappointed that this provision, which only applies to training flights, creates a waiver process to allow training flights in the region that further congest the airspace, an issue that contributed to January’s deadly crash.
“This provision falls short of NTSB’s preliminary safety recommendations and omits changes that are essential to improve visibility, safety, and communications between military and civilian aircraft in D.C. airspace. Further action is needed to prevent a repetition of the mistakes that led to this incident, and we will continue working with all possible speed on legislative solutions with our colleagues and transportation officials to get this right before any waivers are issued, and to ensure air safety in the region.”
The representatives highlighted their disappointment with how Section 373 allows for waivers enabling additional training flights despite existing congestion issues. They also noted that current measures do not meet preliminary recommendations from federal investigators or address necessary improvements for communication and visibility between military and civilian aircraft.
