Reuters
• David Shepardson
More than two dozen lawmakers have asked the FAA to suspend use of its SMART AI system, which assists air traffic controllers in the Washington area. They cite unanswered questions about safety testing, controller training and oversight, putting the tool’s deployment under congressional scrutiny.
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More than two dozen lawmakers have asked the FAA to suspend use of its SMART AI system, which assists air traffic controllers in the Washington area. They cite unanswered questions about safety testing, controller training and oversight, putting the tool’s deployment under congressional scrutiny.
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Two German Air Force Eurofighters scrambled after a Corendon Airlines Europe Boeing 737-800 flying from Corfu to Nuremberg transmitted a hijacking or emergency code. The aircraft landed safely; the airline attributed the alert to a radio malfunction, and authorities found no danger after a temporary suspension of airport operations.
Legislation introduced in both chambers would increase federal funding for air traffic control by $30 billion, building on $12.5 billion approved in 2025. The available reporting does not specify how the proposed money would be allocated or the bills’ prospects, but the measures put ATC investment before Congress as a substantial funding question.
The FAA has curtailed aircraft pattern work and parallel departures at Centennial Airport, according to the AOPA. The association says the agency issued no NOTAM; pilots were instead notified by airport email, leaving the scope and duration of the restrictions unspecified in the available report.
Congress should tie approval of Sean Duffy’s $30 billion FAA modernization request to enforceable requirements, including redundant physical routes, milestone-based funding and integrated staff training. The proposal argues that the scale of the investment alone will not ensure a durable modernization plan.
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A U.S. Army investigation into the collision of an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport cites systemic breakdowns, including two failed radio transmissions that left the helicopter crew without critical air traffic control information. The report also identifies poor visibility and recommends sweeping changes.
The German Aerospace Center tested a concept that recalculates aircraft vertical profiles when tactical speed changes occur, aiming to keep idle-thrust approaches feasible in busy terminal airspace. The simulations assess whether flight paths can adapt to operational changes without abandoning the approach strategy.
A new policy aims to give Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) extra warning when Marine One takes off. The change follows an August safety incident involving communications between President Donald Trump’s helicopter and the airport, located just outside Washington.
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