US EditionSenate approves bill inspired by DC plane crash to ensure military aircraft will broadcast location
The ROTOR Act mandates all military and civilian aircraft to use ADS-B technology after 85 near misses and a fatal 67-death collision near Washington, D.C., officials say.
- On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved the bipartisan ROTOR Act requiring all aircraft to transmit ADS‑B locations, sending the bill to the House of Representatives for consideration.
- Investigators later found the Army Black Hawk helicopter was not transmitting its position during the January 29, 2025 crash that killed 67 people near Ronald Reagan National Airport .
- It directs the Federal Aviation Administration to review airspace safety nationwide, limits the U.S. Army's helicopter exemptions, and the Senate Commerce Committee cleared the ROTOR Act unanimously in October.
- Families of Flight 5342 said, `We now call upon the House of Representatives to swiftly pass this legislation and deliver it to the President's desk before January 29, 2026.`
- Officials acknowledged the Army Black Hawk had its ADS-B system off during the crash, and the final report won't be completed until sometime next year.
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US Senate unanimously approves military helicopter safety legislation
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate unanimously passed legislation Wednesday to toughen military helicopter safety rules and rescind a provision in the annual defense bill that critics said would have weakened aviation safety. Republican Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz on Wednesday won unanimous consent to approve a revised version of legislation that would require aircraft operators by the end of 2031 to equip their fleets with an automatic d…
Senate Passes Aviation Safety Bill Aiming to Prevent Further Midair Collisions
The Senate on Dec. 17 passed Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) bill that creates new safety requirements for nearly all aircraft and helicopters, while also stripping a provision out of the recently passed defense bill that several lawmakers say created a dangerous loophole for military helicopters. Cruz’s ROTOR Act passed by unanimous consent, a fast-track mechanism that bypasses a formal vote if no lawmaker stands up to contest it. The bill “will save…
Associated Press News
Senate approves bill inspired by DC plane crash to ensure military aircraft will broadcast location
The Senate has moved quickly to close a loophole that could allow military aircraft to fly without broadcasting their locations, just like an Army helicopter was doing last January before it collided with an airliner over Washington, D.C., killing 67 people.
The U.S. Senate passed a bill on Wednesday (December 17) introduced by Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz, aimed at improving the safety of military helicopter flights, especially those near Reagan Washington National Airport.
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