A 2025 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport prompted an FAA review of visual separation practices.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered the use of radar separation to ensure safe distances between helicopters and other aircraft in areas near busy airports where helicopters often cross airplane arrival and departure paths.
The change was announced in a March 18 general notice that mandated that air traffic controllers use radar “to actively manage these aircraft to keep them separated at specific lateral or vertical distances.”
The change followed an FAA safety team’s year-long review of traffic data and incident reports prompted by the Jan. 29, 2025, midair collision between a PSA Airlines Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Aviation CRJ700 carrying 64 passengers and cre…
