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By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday it is shrinking the area around Reagan Washington National Airport where helicopters are allowed to operate.
In March, the FAA imposed permanent restrictions on non-essential helicopter operations around Reagan to eliminate helicopter and passenger jet mixed traffic, including permanently closing one key route.
The changes came after the National Transportation Safety Board made two urgent safety recommendations following the January 29 mid-air collision of an American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) regional jet and an Army helicopter that killed 67 people.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said on Wednesday he supports an independent audit into airspace operations and safety oversight in the Washington, D.C., region following that fatal crash.
Two dozen U.S. senators have asked the inspector generals for the Pentagon and USDOT to open audits in response to the collision and the ongoing coordination issues between the Army and air traffic control at Reagan, following the collision and a serious close call on May 1.
U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, said the Army will curtail VIP military helicopter flights around the Pentagon after safety concerns were raised following the fatal collision.
Moran said the Army will limit training missions near Reagan Washington National Airport and limit the number of senior military and defense officials who can use helicopters for transport.
The FAA in early May barred the Army from training or priority transport flights around the Pentagon after the May 1 close call that forced two civilian planes to abort landings.
The FAA is currently negotiating a memorandum with the Army to govern future military flights near commercial planes around Reagan, the FAA’s acting administrator, Chris Rocheleau, told reporters.
Moran said that before January 29, the Army was ferrying three-star generals and above, but that now only the defense secretary and a limited number of other senior officials will be eligible when the Army resumes flights.