Illinois leaders react to midair aircraft collision in DC
Chicago officers are addressing security considerations at O’Hare and Halfway airports following the midair aircraft collision in DC.
CHICAGO – Following the lethal midair collision between an American Airways aircraft and a army helicopter close to Ronald Reagan Nationwide Airport in Washington, D.C., Chicago officers are elevating considerations about security at native airports.
The crash killed 67 folks.
What we all know:
O’Hare Worldwide Airport has had its share of shut calls, with touchdown planes diverted on the final minute as a consequence of one other aircraft being on the runway.
The difficulty was even the topic of a congressional listening to final month.
Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth says the issue extends nationwide and highlights the necessity for extra federal air visitors controllers.
What they’re saying:
Duckworth, a veteran of flying Blackhawk helicopters — the identical kind concerned in final evening’s tragedy — stated she would usually fly coaching routes out of Halfway throughout peak journey hours.
“Generally we’d depart horizontally to 800 ft whereas plane have been touchdown to our left and proper, and depart out horizontally simply to get away from that very busy air visitors,” Duckworth stated.
She famous that each one airports, together with O’Hare and Halfway, face related challenges, notably a necessity for up to date air visitors management tools and extra controllers.
“That is why we handed an FAA reauthorization invoice and put cash to coach air visitors controllers and improve the tools they’ve to make use of,” Duckworth stated. “We now have among the greatest challenges, however that is by nature of getting among the busiest airports within the nation.”
Metropolis Council Aviation Commissioner Matt O’Shea identified that army plane are much less frequent in Chicago airspace, which he believes reduces the chance of the same crash at O’Hare or Halfway.
“There are clear flight patterns out and in of our airports that plane do not deviate from, and you do not see different varieties of plane flying in these vicinities,” O’Shea stated.
Trump’s Feedback :
On Thursday, President Donald Trump baselessly blamed previous administration and variety, fairness, and inclusion (DEI) insurance policies for the incident.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker responded with a press release urging the Trump administration to reply key questions within the investigation:
- “Why did the Trump administration fireplace members of the Aviation Safety Advisory Committee?”
- “Did the federal authorities authorize the Black Hawk helicopter to fly in a business flight path on the similar altitude as business plane?”
The Chicago Division of Aviation commissioner declined to remark past providing condolences to these affected by Wednesday evening’s tragedy.
