Pilots flying into Reagan National Airport may request to divert to Runway 33, which leads to a critical safety issue due to its proximity to active helicopter routes. Experts reveal that this approach has minimal margin for error, putting immense pressure on air traffic controllers and helicopter pilots to maintain safe distances. Incidents of near misses have been reported frequently. As air traffic controllers communicate with helicopter pilots, they rely on both visual separation and a thorough understanding of these overlapping flight paths to avert disasters.
When visibility is good, pilots of regional airline jets bound for Reagan National Airport expect to hear a familiar request from air traffic control as they fly north up the Potomac River: Can the flight crew divert to Runway 33?
The design places intense responsibility on air traffic controllers and helicopter pilots to stay clear of jets navigating a low and highly technical approach to the airport's shortest landing strip, experts said.
You have to move one of them. Current and former air traffic controllers said, the tower will alert helicopter pilots to the presence of an approaching jet.
With little margin for error, the design places intense responsibility on air traffic controllers and helicopter pilots to stay clear of jets navigating a low and highly technical approach to the airport.
Collection
[
|
...
]