Federal aviation regulators are preparing to mandate the use of technology that would help pilots see nearby aircraft. This move by the FAA follows a deadly mid-air collision on January 29, 2025, near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) that killed 67 people, involving an American Airlines regional jet (PSA Airlines Flight 5342) and a U.S. Army UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has strongly advocated for this mandate, with Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy pressing FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford on 33 safety recommendations, particularly mandatory traffic-display technology, which simulations showed could have prevented the DCA crash.
This proposed rule would require most aircraft operating in U.S. civilian airspace to use ADS-B In technology, extending beyond the existing ADS-B Out requirements to include military and other aircraft. ADS-B In allows pilots to see nearby aircraft on a cockpit display and receive audible alerts. While the FAA supports giving pilots better tools, there has been a dispute with the NTSB and within Congress over the implementation. The NTSB criticized a House bill in February 2026 for not fully implementing its recommendations, while a Senate proposal takes a more prescriptive approach than a House version.
The mandate faces significant cost challenges, with airlines estimating the retrofit could add up to $50,000 per aircraft for the roughly 20,000 U.S. commercial jets. This sum could strain airline balance sheets already under pressure from fuel costs and slower demand, and lawmakers worry it might force smaller carriers to prematurely retire aircraft. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford reportedly indicated some systems might not be compatible with hundreds of aircraft in the U.S. commercial fleet, and previously stated the FAA would not impose a mandate without congressional action. Some airlines, like American Airlines, have voluntarily begun installing ADS-B In on aircraft like their Airbus A321s and Boeing 737s, and United Airlines is also studying its implementation.
The disagreement between the NTSB and FAA over the mandate has been contentious, highlighted by a private meeting in early May 2026 where Homendy expressed anger to Bedford, stating the FAA's response to recommendations sounded like "F- you," to which Bedford reportedly told her to control her emotions. Homendy responded, "I am angry because people died." Despite the heated exchange, a subsequent meeting between the two agencies the following week was described as "very productive," although the standoff leaves the industry without a clear path to compliance, with investors closely watching earnings.
The upgrade is seen by regulators as a way to modernize a fleet still reliant on legacy radar systems. The technology mandates would give flight crews more direct situational awareness and provide cockpit alerts in time to avoid collisions. The Wall Street Journal first reported on Tuesday that federal aviation regulators are preparing this rule. The Administrator of the FAA, Bryan Bedford, had previously instructed officials to develop measures to be quickly implemented following the D.C. collision, though a final decision has not yet been made.
