The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has made changes to the helicopter flight routes around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to help make the skies safer.
Starting June 12, helicopters flying in the Washington, D.C. area will need to follow new paths that keep them farther away from incoming and outgoing airplanes. One of the biggest updates is a new route called the “Broad Creek Transition,” which gives helicopters a safer corridor to travel south over the Potomac River, away from busy airplane traffic.
These changes make permanent some temporary rules that were put in place earlier this year as part of a safety review. The FAA is keeping limits on where helicopters can fly, removing a previously used route, and continuing to require most helicopters to use ADS-B tracking technology in this airspace. Under the new, permanent revisions, the following restrictions remain in place:
- ADS-B Out continues to be required for all helicopter flights within the DC SFRA, with very limited exceptions.
- Helicopters must use the Broad Creek Transition route when traveling south.
- The route previously used by the U.S. Army for northbound operations has been permanently removed.
The FAA says the updated charts are part of ongoing efforts to reduce midair risks in one of the country’s busiest and most tightly controlled airspaces.
Pilots and operators can view the new maps here:
