Finally, the FAA does something that should have been done decades ago and it only took the death of 67 people to catch their attention. This one example of incompetence beyond normal definition is just the tip of the iceberg regarding other issues in front of the FAA. The system is broken, has been broken for decades and can only be rectified through complete demolition and new construction.
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When the FAA drops the ball on providing positive traffic separation, then they simply ban flights. Problem solved!
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That’s what happens when an “independent” agency such as the FAA is disallowed to be “independent” and is forced to succumb to the whims of the D.C. establishment.
The accident revealed an oversight (bad design) that should have been addressed sooner, especially given the rise in RAs near DCA. Limited altimeter accuracy further increased the risk. Compounding the issue, Flight 5342 and PAT25 were on separate VHF frequencies, preventing the crews from hearing each other’s transmissions, a crucial gap in situational awareness–fix this as well.
This is probably one of the most accurate statements I’ve seen. The “knee jerk” reaction. The DCA ATCT ATM should bear most of the responsibility for this.
Indeed - clearance between PAPI-guided approach path to runway and top of military helicopter procedure was shockingly small,