NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy has reacted angrily to the failure by members of the House of Representatives to give their assent to the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act, which gained Senate approval in December.
Posting on social media, Homendy wrote: “The Rotor Act would’ve saved lives; unlike claims that this is ‘emotional legislation,’ the FAA had over two decades to act and failed to do so. Had they acted, we wouldn’t be here today; families would have their loved ones. How many more people need to die before we act?”
Although both pieces of legislation were created to close the loopholes in the safety regime following the mid-air collision near Washington’s Ronald Reagan airport between a UH-60 and CRJ700, there are some significant differences in their provisions – most notably the requirement for ADS-B in all aircraft
While Homendy gave the ROTOR Act her support and backing, she is less enthusiastic about the provisions contained in the ALERT Act which is currently before the House, noting that the act “does not implement our most critical safety recommendations … it provides exemptions to lifesaving technology, technology that provides pilots and flight crews with information they need and deserve to ensure safety, technology that would’ve saved lives that night.”
