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New FAA rules at DCA halt air traffic for president’s Marine One travel

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New FAA rules at DCA halt air traffic for president’s Marine One travel


Air traffic at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will now come to a complete stop whenever the president flies to and from the White House on Marine One, following a new policy aimed at enhancing airspace security, the Washington Post reports.

New FAA regulations

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What they’re saying:

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the change after reports from the Post indicated that commercial flights would be temporarily halted during presidential helicopter travel. The policy follows a deadly midair collision near the airport.

In a statement, the FAA said, “The new policy provides exceptions for lifesaving medical support, active law enforcement, active air defense or presidential helicopter missions. We will review the current policy once [the National Transportation Safety Board] completes its preliminary investigation.”

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Travelers at DCA had mixed reactions to the expected delays.

“I’m sure it’s an inconvenience, but certainly you have national security at hand … it wouldn’t bother me,” said Dustin Walters, a traveler from Johnson City, Tennessee.

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The new restrictions come weeks after a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet, killing 67 people. 

In response, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton is calling for the Department of Defense to permanently stop transporting VIPs by helicopter in the National Capital Region, except for the president, vice president, and national emergencies.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Norton urged the Pentagon to halt helicopter transports, arguing that government officials’ convenience should not come before aviation safety.

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However, former U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot Elizabeth McCormick said the congresswoman’s demand is “unrealistic.”

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“What happens is … even when we were flying cross-country for a mission, we would have to stop and refuel. And there aren’t always military bases where we can do that,” McCormick said. “Most helicopter pilots receive an FAA rating and go through schooling and testing to be rated to fly airspace.”

Despite the pushback, Norton has requested a written response from the Department of Defense by March 11.

The Source: FOX 5 reporting, the FAA, and The Washington Post

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Washington, D.C

Thousands turn out – again – as third 'No Kings' rallies take over Maryland streets

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Thousands turn out – again – as third 'No Kings' rallies take over Maryland streets


Thousands turned out at the dozens of No Kings rallies scattered across Maryland, part of the millions expected across the country for the third such event. In Maryland, turnout was particularly heavy in Hagerstown, near a proposed ICE detention facility.



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WATCH LIVE: No Kings march and rally in DC

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WATCH LIVE: No Kings march and rally in DC


Thousands are expected gather in Washington, D.C. for a “No Kings” march and rally. 

Here’s everything you need to know:

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What is the No Kings protest?

What we know:

Organized locally by area chapters of Indivisible and allied grassroots groups, the event aims to draw protesters to downtown Washington and surrounding counties to oppose policies of the Trump administration and to voice broader concerns about civil rights and democratic norms.

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No Kings protest details

Timeline:

The march will kick off at 10 a.m., with participants gathering at Memorial Circle near Arlington Cemetery, with additional access from the Blue Line or nearby parking at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, according to the event organizers. There is no public parking in the immediate area, but participants can be dropped off at the circle.

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From there, the procession will head across the Memorial Bridge into Washington, D.C., passing the Lincoln Memorial and continuing on to the Washington Monument.

At the conclusion of the march, participants can walk to a downtown rally, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Other ‘No Kings’ rallies in the DMV

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Dig deeper:

In addition to the main rally in downtown D.C., several other demonstrations tied to “No Kings 3” are scheduled around the DMV this Saturday.

In Arlington, Virginia, activists are organizing a march across the Memorial Bridge beginning at 10 a.m., with protesters expected to continue into West Potomac Park before joining larger crowds in the District proper, for example. 

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There are hundreds of “No Kings” events scheduled to take place this Saturday throughout the DMV. You can click here to find a list of all of them. 

How to watch No Kings march and rally in DC

What you can do:

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FOX 5 DC will be covering No Kings in D.C. all day on FOX LOCAL and in the liveplayer at the top of this story. 

FOX 5 DC is available to watch for free on Roku, Amazon FireTV, Apple TV, Google Android TV and Vizio with the FOX LOCAL app. Here’s how to download FOX LOCAL on your mobile phone. 

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‘Strong smell’ shuts down flights at major DC-area airports for the second time this month

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‘Strong smell’ shuts down flights at major DC-area airports for the second time this month


A reported “strong smell” at a key air traffic control center disrupted flights Friday evening at major airports across the Washington, D.C., region for the second time in two weeks.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily halted flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI), Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO) and Richmond International Airport (RIC), the agency told FOX Business in an email.

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The FAA said the disruptions were due to a “strong smell” at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) center, which manages airspace in the region.

GROUND STOP LIFTED AT MAJOR DC-AREA AIRPORTS AFTER CHEMICAL ODOR DISRUPTS AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

An FAA air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va. (Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

It was not immediately clear what caused the smell.

Ground stops at Dulles, Reagan National and BWI remained in effect until around 8 p.m. ET before being lifted, according to the FAA’s website.

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NEWARK AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS LOST RADAR, RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH PLANES FOR OVER A MINUTE, SPARKING CHAOS

The FAA said the disruption was due to a “strong smell” at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) center. (Flightradar24)

As of 8:30 p.m., Reagan National was experiencing ground delays, while BWI continued to see departure delays.

Earlier this month, a ground stop was similarly issued at several airports in the Washington, D.C., region after a chemical odor was detected at the TRACON center.

FATAL LAGUARDIA COLLISION RENEWS FOCUS ON RUNWAY INCURSION RISKS ACROSS US

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Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy speaks at a news conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. (Heather Diehl/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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The temporary ground stop March 13 similarly affected DCA, IAD, BWI and RIC, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at the time.

Duffy said the smell came from an overheated circuit board, which has since been replaced.



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