After a catastrophic crash last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he discussed the country’s airspace reform with SpaceX CEO and Trump administration advisor Elon Musk. He also voiced worries about the military’s use of helicopters in crowded airspace in Washington, D.C.
I spoke with Elon Musk yesterday; he’s a very amazing man. Duffy stated Wednesday at a road transportation event in Washington that although he thinks differently than I believe most of us do, he has access to the world’s top engineers and technologists. Remaking our airspace is something we intend to undertake as soon as possible.
A week after an Army Black Hawk chopper collided with an American Airlines regional airliner that was arriving at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Duffy made these remarks. The three military crew members on the Black Hawk, which was on a training mission, and all 64 passengers on the American flight perished. Since 2001, it has been the deadliest airplane accident in the US.
A request for comment from Musk was not immediately answered. Commercial aircraft share airspace with SpaceX and other space enterprises. A field of debris descended near Caribbean islands last month when a Starship rocket experienced an inflight malfunction, forcing scores of commercial flights to delay or divert in order to avoid the region.
To address a long-standing deficit, U.S. airline executives have long demanded that the country’s air traffic control systems be modernized and that more air traffic controllers be hired.
At the time of the disaster, one air traffic controller was managing both helicopter and airplane traffic, according to Duffy, who said he will examine the policies and procedures within the tower.
He stated, “We’re going to regain that authority to ensure that we have the proper policies in place inside our towers to ensure that you’re safe when you fly.”
According to Duffy, authorities must consider whether it is safe to carry out military training exercises at night.
Additionally, he stated that it is unacceptable for generals to fly through this airspace in helicopters for convenience. Get into a Suburban and go for a drive. It is not necessary for you to take a helicopter.
The Defense Department and U.S. Army did not immediately respond.
The cause of last week’s fatal incident is currently being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is in charge of the probe.
This report was provided to by Michael Sheetz of CNBC.
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