NW Kansas News

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation, has joined with Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to introduce the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act. The announcement took place on the six-month anniversary of the Washington National Airport (DCA) midair collision, an incident that prompted renewed attention to in-flight safety standards.

At a press conference unveiling the legislation, Sens. Moran and Cruz were accompanied by family members of the DCA crash victims, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy, and Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford. The ROTOR Act has also received support from Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

“Six months after the tragic midair collision at Washington National Airport, we are introducing legislation to improve in-flight safety to make certain that our nation’s airspace is safe for the traveling public,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation will close FAA regulatory loopholes, require research on improving the safety of high-volume mixed-traffic airports and includes my legislation to make certain that aircraft operating at busy airports like DCA are equipped and transmitting critical positioning data to improve communication with air traffic control.”

Senator Cruz added: “Today is an auspicious day for aviation safety—a day marked by a revived spirit of hope and a shared determination to act in the face of an unforgettable tragedy,” he said. “American skies must be as safe as possible, and our duty as lawmakers is to ensure that they are. The ROTOR Act represents a common-sense step forward in aviation safety reform. One of the most important parts of this bill is the requirement that all aircraft, military and civilian, use both ADS-B Out and ADS-B In. We will not wait for another accident to happen before we finally protect American skies. We have made it abundantly clear that when American lives are at risk, excuses are not acceptable.”

The ROTOR Act would mandate all aircraft operators equip their planes with automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) In technology—allowing them to receive location signals from other nearby aircraft as well as ground stations—to enhance situational awareness in crowded airspace such as near major airports.

Additionally, it seeks to close an FAA loophole that previously allowed certain military helicopters—including Army Black Hawks—to fly without broadcasting ADS-B Out data except during “sensitive government missions.” Training flights would no longer qualify for these exceptions under the proposed law.

Other provisions include requiring comprehensive FAA reviews of helicopter routes near congested airports; directing the Army Office of Inspector General to conduct a safety coordination audit; initiating an FAA study on using dynamic restricted areas for helicopters near airports; and repealing a 2019 law provision exempting Department of Defense aircraft from ADS-B transmission requirements.

Earlier this year in May, Sen. Moran introduced related legislation aimed at mandating ADS-B technology for all aircraft operating within Class B airspace—typically found around major U.S. airports—and eliminating exemptions previously granted under federal law.