FAA Administrator Says DCA Helicopter Rules Won’t Be Rolled Back

The Associated Press is reporting FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford told the House Aviation Subcommittee the agency will not relax restrictions on Army helicopter traffic at Reagan National Airport that were put in place after the collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and regional jet that killed 67 people last January. “There’s no rolling back of the safety procedures we put in place since that horrific evening,” Bedford said. “Our vigilance isn’t waning.” Bedford was the key witness at the session on the State of Aviation, and he was referring to a provision of the National Defense Appropriations Act that would allow generals and admirals to order crews to switch off ADS-B Out if the senior officers determined it was necessary for operational or national security concerns.

Bedford punctuated his statement by saying the deaths of those on the plane and helicopter cannot have been in vain. “It’s unfortunate, it’s beyond unfortunate, it’s tragic that the focus that we have today—the attention and our sort of unified, galvanized effort to modernize—was paid for with the lives of 67 Americans. It’s unfortunate, but that sacrifice can’t go to waste,” Bedford said. “We have to deliver for them and for the rest of the American people.”

There is now a bipartisan effort led by Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell to get the NDAA amended, but there is resistance to that because it will delay the bill. If the bill isn’t amended, they will push passage of a separate bill to require all aircraft to broadcast ADS-B. It’s not clear if that bill would cover the controlled airspace that now requires ADS-B Out or if it would be a blanket requirement for the entire NAA, which would have an impact on operators of GA aircraft that steer clear of ADS-B airspace so they don’t have to equip.

Bedford also addressed the awarding of a contract to organize the modernization of the FAA to a defense contractor with little direct aviation experience. Peraton was awarded the $12 billion first phase, largely a nuts-and-bolts replacement of equipment and computer systems that have been cobbled together over the last four decades, earlier this month. He said Peraton was chosen because it helped modernize the defense department and NASA in a similar way. “Peraton brought a competency that is relevant to what we need. It had nothing to do with who they knew. The president did not interfere, nor did the secretary in the selection process. It was transparent. It was diligent,” he said.

Bedford also said he will continue to recuse himself from any issues involving his former employer Republic Airways until he’s divested himself of millions of dollars of stock in the regional carrier. He was given until October to sell off the shares but has told government ethics officials he’s been too busy. He told the committee he’s also waiting for the airline to actually send him the share certificates, which have been delayed by the recent merger of Republic and the Mesa Air Group in November.