US Army helicopter flights at Pentagon remain suspended after close call

Washington: US Army helicopter flights around the Pentagon remain suspended after two passenger airline flights were forced to abort landings on May 1 at Reagan Washington National Airport because of a nearby Black Hawk helicopter, the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday.

Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau told a US House hearing that the agency had barred the Army from training or priority transport flights as it revisits the agency's letter of agreement with the military.

"They are not flying right now," Rocheleau said. "We've shut those down until such time as we're comfortable with kind of what we call new rules of the road."

The Army told the Associated Press last month that military air traffic controllers lost contact with the helicopter for about 20 seconds as it neared the Pentagon on the May 1 flight that disrupted the two passenger planes.

Delta Air Lines Flight 1671, an Airbus A319 that had originated in Orlando, and Republic Airways Flight 5825, an Embraer 170 that had departed from Boston, were both forced to perform go-arounds around 2:30 p.m. on May 1 due to the nearby Army helicopter.

The FAA disclosed last month that a hotline connecting the Pentagon and air traffic controllers at Reagan has been inoperable since March 2022.

On January 29, a Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger jet near Reagan, killing 67 people. The US Army said on May 5 that it was suspending helicopter flights in the vicinity of the Pentagon after the incident.

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz of Texas said last month that the FAA has been preparing to suspend the agency's letter of agreement with the Army. That agreement gives the Army the right to operate without having to ask for clearance for each flight.