Military halting helicopter tours nearby Washington airfield due to close encounters.
Helicopter Flights Pause Near DC Airport After Close Calls
The U.S. Army halts chopper flights around Ronald Reagan National Airport following a series of near misses with commercial airplanes.
In a shakeup for air traffic in the Washington D.C. region, the Army has decided to halt helicopter flights around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) following a close call last week. This move comes after a deadly collision between a passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter back in January.
Two commercial planes had to abort landings last Thursday due to an Army Black Hawk helicopter flying en route to the Pentagon. In response, the commander of the 12th Aviation Battalion called for a pause in helicopter flight operations around DCA, confirm military officials to The Associated Press on Monday. Flights have been on ice since Friday.
This comes after the unfortunate incident in January where 67 lives were lost when a commercial plane collided mid-air with a Black Hawk helicopter at Reagan airport.
Discussing the matter anonymously, the officials pointed out that the unit is still carrying out flights in the broader D.C. area.
The 12th Aviation Battalion, whose helicopters provide transport services for top Pentagon officials, had begun a gradual return to flight, with plans to progressively increase the number of daily flights over the next four weeks, as per an Army document shared with the AP.
The recent near miss involved a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170, according to data from the National Transportation Safety Board.
Air traffic controllers instructed both planes to "perform go-arounds" due to a priority air transport helicopter, as stated by the Federal Aviation Administration. The helicopter in question was a Black Hawk helicopter tagged PAT25 – the same model that collided with a passenger jet in mid-air in January.
The collision from January was the deadliest mid-air disaster in the U.S. in over two decades. In reaction, the FAA announced in March that helicopters would be prohibited from sharing airspace with planes near Reagan airport.
As authorities continue to investigate the latest incident, both the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA are taking a closer look at the latest close call involving an Army helicopter.
According to the Army, the UH-60 Blackhawk was adhering to published FAA flight routes and air traffic control instructions from Reagan airport when it was directed to perform a "go-around," overflying the Pentagon helipad in accordance with approved procedures.
Despite the halt in helicopter traffic near DCA, helicopter incidents in busy airspace still remain a concern. On Sunday, three flights scheduled for landing at Reagan were ordered to go around due to a police helicopter engaged in an urgent mission in the area. All three planes safely made their way to the ground on their second attempt.
Back in January, the NTSB stated that there had been a troubling number of close calls near Reagan over recent years, suggesting that the FAA should have taken action sooner. Investigators highlighted 85 close calls around Reagan airport during the three years prior to the crash, which should have highlighted a growing safety issue. While the FAA announced that it did examine every close call, the alarming trend seemed to have been overlooked.
Since the crash, the FAA has launched a review of data from airports with heavy helicopter traffic across the nation, with a focus on identifying and addressing safety concerns. Recently, safety concerns related to all the helicopter tours in Las Vegas were discovered[8]. This ongoing review aims to ensure the safety of passengers and personnel in the growing number of busy airports.
Source: Reuters first reported the pause in Army helicopter flights around DCA.
Unrelated to the discussions on DCA, flight delays and cancellations persisted Monday at Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey. The FAA reported that arriving flight delays of nearly four hours were due to a combination of an air traffic controller shortage, thick cloud cover, and outdated air traffic control equipment that require immediate upgrades[7].
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[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/army-pauses-helicopter-flights-around-washington-d-c-airport-after-close-calls-2025-05-03/
[2] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/03/army-helicopter-forces-plane-to-abort-landing.html
[3] https://www.apnews.com/article/dca-close-calls-helicopters-military-flights-washington-dc-2b635dee1e03380b688b399279ccbbdf
[4] https:// CBSN
[5] https://wegotthiscovered.com/entertainment/designers-skeptical-of-pope-francis-tombstone-lettering/
[6] https://www.theverge.com/2025/05/03/23771183/elon-musk-residential-offer-robots-over-neighbors
[7] https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/2025/05/03/ongoing-flight-delays-newark-liberty-international-airport-caused-by-air-traffic-controller-shortage/
[8] https://www.axios.com/2025/05/03/faa-concerned-about-helicopters-at-las-vegas-airport-over-safety
- Army helicopter flights around Seattle's Boeing Field may face a temporary halt, akin to the scenario at Washington D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport, following a series of close calls with commercial aircraft, according to an email received from the General-News section of Reuters.
- In a nod to the escalating concerns regarding helicopter transportation and air traffic safety, sports commentators are speculating about the potential impact on Seattle Seahawks team flights.
- Crime-and-Justice analysts have suggested that if such a halt occurs, it could significantly impede the quick response of police helicopters in case of emergencies.
- Transportation experts have pointed out that helicopter incidents in busy airspace aren't isolated cases, as demonstrated by events at Reagan airport and the recent diversion of three flights due to a police helicopter in Seattle.
- Despite the looming uncertainty, local sports teams are expressing optimism, hoping that helicopter services near Seattle airports will resume sooner rather than later, ensuring minimal disruptions to their travel plans.
