NTSB Chair Warns Defense Bill Jeopardizes Aviation Safety Near DC

NTSB's Strong Opposition to Defense Bill

• 😡 Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the NTSB, expresses intense anger and shame regarding a defense bill that she states would increase the danger of flying in and out of the nation's capital.
• ⚠️ The NTSB vehemently opposes provisions in the bill that would roll back safety improvements implemented after a fatal midair collision in January.

Impact of Proposed Exemptions

• ✈️ The bill proposes exemptions to a policy that banned military aircraft from flying near Reagan National Airport following the crash that killed 67 people.
• 💔 Families of the victims have called the proposed exemptions deeply concerning.
• 🤝 Homendy argues that the focus should be on preventing future accidents through partnership, not by inviting history to repeat itself.

Concerns Over Legislative Process

• ❓ The NTSB chair stated she has no idea how these safety rollbacks ended up in the bill and that the NTSB was not consulted during its development.
• 🏛️ Supporters of the bill claim military choppers on training missions would still need to warn other aircraft or obtain a waiver from the transportation secretary.
• 🗳️ The Senate has the opportunity to make changes to the bill before a final vote is expected next week.