WASHINGTON (AP) — Following two close calls involving Army helicopters near Reagan National Airport last week, the Army has decided to temporarily halt helicopter flights in the area. The 12th Aviation Battalion commander instructed the unit to pause flight operations around the airport after Thursday’s incidents, which forced commercial planes to abort landings. This decision was confirmed by two Army officials speaking to The Associated Press on Monday. The flights have been on hold since Friday.
The pause comes after a tragic collision in January that claimed 67 lives when a Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger jet at Reagan airport. The officials, who requested anonymity, shared that the unit is still conducting flights in the greater Washington, D.C., region.
The battalion had recently resumed flights with a plan to gradually increase operations over the next four weeks, as per an Army document seen by AP. Thursday’s incidents involved a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Air traffic control instructed them to perform go-arounds due to a priority air transport helicopter, as noted in a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The helicopters in question belong to the 12th battalion’s priority air transport service for top Pentagon officials. The one involved in the January collision was a Black Hawk known as PAT25. The FAA had previously announced restrictions on helicopters flying in the same airspace as planes near Reagan airport following the crash.
The recent close call with an Army helicopter is now under investigation by the NTSB and FAA. The Army stated that the UH-60 Blackhawk was following approved flight procedures when directed by Pentagon Air Traffic Control to conduct a go-around over the Pentagon helipad.
Despite these measures, helicopter traffic remains a concern near Reagan airport. The FAA reported that three flights had to go around on Sunday due to a police helicopter on an urgent mission. The NTSB had previously flagged numerous close calls in the years leading up to the January crash, urging the FAA to take action promptly.
In response, the FAA has initiated a review of airports nationwide with high helicopter traffic, identifying safety issues at Las Vegas airport related to helicopter tours. Investigations are ongoing. Flight operations in Newark Liberty International Airport were also affected on Monday due to air traffic controller shortages and other factors.
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Josh Funk, a press writer, assisted in creating this report from Omaha, Nebraska.
