FAA head vows to maintain safety measures implemented after tragic DC plane crash

FAA Administrator Vows No Return to Pre-Crash Practices After Deadly D.C. Collision

Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford pledged Tuesday that airspace operations over Washington, D.C. will never revert to pre-crash standards following January’s fatal collision between an airliner and an Army helicopter that claimed 67 lives.

“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,” Bedford told the House aviation subcommittee. “That sacrifice can’t go to waste. We have to deliver for them and for the rest of the American people.”

The deadly January collision prompted immediate safety reforms, including requirements that all aircraft use Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) systems to broadcast their locations. The FAA also implemented procedural changes to ensure helicopters and planes no longer share the same airspace and eliminated the practice of relying on pilots for visual separation between aircraft.

“There’s no rolling back of the safety procedures we put in place since that horrific evening,” Bedford assured lawmakers. “Our vigilance isn’t waning.”

These safety measures face potential challenges from provisions in a major defense bill that critics say could allow military helicopters to resume flying through congested Washington airspace without broadcasting their locations. Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) are working urgently to amend the legislation, though congressional leadership’s reluctance to delay the bill may complicate these efforts.

Bedford’s testimony came amid ongoing scrutiny of his personal finances. Responding to ethics concerns raised by Senator Cantwell, Bedford addressed his failure to divest his multimillion-dollar stake in Republic Airways within the promised 90-day timeframe following his confirmation. Bedford attributed the delay to being preoccupied with FAA priorities, including the air traffic control system overhaul and controller shortages during the recent government shutdown.

However, an ethics official cited in Bedford’s letter indicated he had previously been informed that being “busy with your position did not constitute an ‘unusual hardship'” to justify an extension. Bedford assured lawmakers he continues to recuse himself from decisions involving Republic Airways until his investment is sold, though he noted administrative delays following Republic’s recent merger with Mesa Air Group may further postpone the divestiture.

During the hearing, Bedford highlighted significant progress on modernizing the nation’s air traffic control system, reporting that the FAA expects to commit more than $6 billion of the $12.5 billion congressional allocation by year’s end. The agency has already replaced over one-third of outdated copper wires with modern fiber optic connections.

This ambitious modernization effort, expected to ultimately cost more than $31 billion, raised concerns from Rep. Hank Johnson Jr. (D-Ga.), who questioned the selection of Peraton, a national security contractor, to oversee the upgrades despite limited FAA experience.

“How is the FAA ensuring that outsourcing this massive modernization project to a largely untested contractor will not put safety at risk, create further delays or overburden your already overworked workforce?” Johnson asked, suggesting the arrangement might be a “pay-to-play situation.”

Bedford defended the selection, citing Peraton’s expertise in helping the Defense Department and NASA convert systems from analog to digital and migrate to cloud-based platforms. He emphasized that Peraton’s specialized competencies aligned with the FAA’s vision to transition computing power from individual towers to a national cloud-based system.

“Peraton brought a competency that is relevant to what we need. It had nothing to do with who they knew,” Bedford said. “The president did not interfere, nor did the secretary in the selection process. It was transparent. It was diligent.”

Bedford also addressed the FAA’s controversial decision during the government shutdown to order airlines to cut thousands of flights. He maintained the decision was based on safety concerns, citing increased controller absences and an uptick in near misses and runway incursions, though he provided no specific data supporting these claims.

“I am confident that decreasing operations during an uncertain and stressful time was the right decision on behalf of the flying public and the United States,” Bedford concluded.