Helicopter operations in Washington, DC, have been restricted by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following the deaths of 67 people in a mid-air collision between a military Black Hawk and an American Airlines Bombardier in the skies above the US capital in January 2025.
With other cities’ flight paths now under the investigators’ spotlight, travel and tourism stakeholders are weighing the potential consequences of a nationwide change in helicopter flight rules.
Eliminating mixed air space use
The FAA made the announcement permanently banning non-essential helicopter flights in Washington in response to a preliminary report about the January crash by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Chairperson Jennifer Homendy told press she recommended the creation of new helicopter routes for the city and the restriction of helicopter flights near the airport, in particular urging a ban on helicopter traffic when Reagan’s runways 15 and 33 are in use.
The NTSB indicated there were warning signs before the deadly DC midair collision, claiming that investigators discovered 15,214 “near-miss events” between Oct. 2021 and Dec. 2024.
— The National Desk (@TND) March 12, 2025
More on the NTSB's preliminary report and serious FAA recommendations: https://t.co/t50t75Rmtw pic.twitter.com/QN4QtRJxv6
As a result of the FAA measures, the only helicopter activity now permitted in Reagan Airport’s airspace will be emergency medical or law enforcement air traffic or presidential flights. The runways in question will not be open for use while helicopters are in the area. Meanwhile, the FAA is identifying new helicopter routes as ways to eliminate mixed propeller and fixed-wing air traffic in the airport vicinity.
Helicopter bans in other US cities could follow
With concerns about US aviation safety high in the headlines over recent years and months, the FAA is also reported to be considering new flight path arrangements and restrictions for a range of other cities where chartered helicopter routes are in place. They include Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York.
That risk assessment work is partly being achieved through AI approaches. “To make us more predictive, we are using machine learning and language modelling to scan incident reports and mine multiple data sources to find themes and areas of risk,” a statement from the administration said.
RIGHT NOW: After NTSB called to close helicopter route near DCA, @SecDuffy says temp helo ban near the airport will continue. “How did the FAA not know,” Duffy says “that this was a hotspot?”
— Pete Muntean (@petemuntean) March 11, 2025
Duffy says DOT deploying “AI tools” to look at potential collision hotspots nationwide. pic.twitter.com/9kOAnuQppX
Bad for business
Reactions to the potential reduction of chartered helicopter traffic in various cities have been mixed due to the impact it could have on leisure flying. Speaking to Fox, one Detroit-based helicopter pilot said that a ban on helicopter tourism or rules on routes to stop tour pilots overflying the city could be bad for some operators’ bottom line, adding “if they restricted the airspace for Detroit, it would just completely eliminate their business.”
Detroit Metro Airport declined to comment on the possibility of new rules for helicopters, pointing out that the FAA’s work is still ongoing.
