WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation – recently introduced legislation to improve aviation safety by requiring all aircraft operating in Class B airspace to install and use Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) In and Out.

Class B airspace is a designation for high-volume airspace typically around the nation’s busiest airports. Currently the Secretary of Transportation may grant exemptions to certain aircraft to fly without active ADS-B systems through congested airspace. This legislation would prohibit these exemptions from being granted, and would allow the Secretary of Transportation to mandate the installment of safety-critical ADS-B hardware on aircraft, leading to improved safety communication and accident prevention.

“The tragic midair collision on January 29 and the two recent near misses at Reagan National Airport demonstrate an urgent need for improvements to aviation safety to make certain the airspace near some of our nation’s busiest airports are safe,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation will make certain aircraft in airspace like DCA are transmitting and receiving important tracking data to both protect themselves and help air traffic control better conduct landings and takeoffs. The Army and the FAA must fully cooperate with the National Transportation Safety Board as they continue their investigations, and the flight restrictions around DCA must remain in place until all investigations are complete.”

Following the midair collision near DCA on January 29th and the NTSB’s finding that the military helicopter involved was not transmitting ADS-B Out, the FAA announced a requirement – effective March 27th – that all aircraft flying in the Class B airspace around DCA turn on ADS-B Out.

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