Senate Passes Bipartisan Aviation Safety Bill Following Washington Air Disaster

This week, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan aviation safety bill in response to the January 29 mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that resulted in the deaths of 67 people. The legislation includes provisions commonly referred to as the ROTOR Act, which focus on improving transparency, oversight, and coordination in shared civilian and military airspace.

The accident involved American Airlines Flight 5342, a regional jet arriving at DCA, and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter operating in nearby airspace. In the aftermath of the tragedy, reporting and investigative findings highlighted a key issue: the military helicopter was not broadcasting its position in real time, limiting visibility for air traffic controllers and other aircraft operating in one of the nation’s most complex airspace environments.

The Senate’s action reflects growing recognition that aviation safety depends not only on individual compliance, but on how systems function together in practice, particularly in congested corridors where commercial, military, and general aviation operations intersect.

At the center of the Senate-passed ROTOR Act is a focus on airspace transparency and coordination. The legislation seeks to address long-standing exemptions that allowed certain military and government aircraft to operate without broadcasting Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out (ADS-B Out) data in some Class B airspace. ADS-B Out transmits an aircraft’s location, altitude, and speed, improving situational awareness for both pilots and air traffic controllers.

In addition to narrowing those exemptions, the bill calls for stronger coordination between the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense, as well as broader reviews of airspace safety nationwide. The intent is not to apply a one-size-fits-all solution, but to better understand how safety systems perform across different airports and operating environments.

For travelers, these issues are often invisible. Most consumers assume that aircraft operating near major airports can see and be seen in real-time, and that coordination between civilian and military operations is seamless. When that coordination breaks down, the consequences can extend far beyond a single flight, affecting confidence in the aviation system as a whole.

As Congress has taken up these questions, Amy (Key) Camp has played a key role in keeping the media spotlight focused on aviation safety and the need for meaningful reform through strategic communications and ongoing press engagement. Her work has helped ensure that transparency, accountability and the system-wide failures that led to the January 29 tragedy at DCA remain central to how the accident is covered and understood by the public.

Affordable Skies is proud to have Amy serving on our Advisory Council, where her experience and insight continue to inform thoughtful discussions about aviation safety and consumer confidence.

With Senate passage complete, the legislation now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration. If approved, it would initiate new oversight and review processes aimed at strengthening transparency and coordination in U.S. airspace.

Affordable Skies will continue to follow developments closely and share information as this legislation moves forward.