NTSB Chair Describes Proposed Rule as 'Shameful' Amid Aviation Safety Concerns

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy has strongly opposed a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would allow military aircraft to operate without ADS-B, a critical surveillance technology. The NTSB investigation into the DCA crash that killed 67 people is partly focused on limitations and gaps in ADS-B technology. The Senate Commerce Committee has been working towards establishing the Rotor Act, a bipartisan bill that closes the ‘dangerous exemption’ that allows military aircraft to operate in domestic skies without communicating their position. The NTSB’s opposition to the NDAA provision is a significant development in the ongoing debate over aviation safety, and may indicate a growing divide between the military and civilian aviation authorities. This report was first published by AeroTime.